Book one: Feathers in Time
by Leremia C. Awan
Summary: A timetravel story. Hermione goes back for the specific people that deserve a second chance. Severus/Hermione This story will also include Star Trek, Pitch Black, Firefly, and probably a few others if you guys suggest something I am a fan of.
1. Chapter 1

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

* * *

 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter One**

Hermione chuckled softly as she watched Ginny flick Harry's ear, idly draped over the couch with him before he set down his book and attacked her lips. They were cute, still after all this time. Ten years had come and gone, and Hermione was glad of it. Ronald had left her shortly after the war had ended, and Hermione really couldn't bring herself to care. This morning marked the tenth anniversary and Hermione had finished her Unspeakable research the previous night. A break through. Time travel, always a tricky thing, but now that she got a better understanding of it, she had a feeling everything was going to work out.

Ginny looked at Hermione through her lashes and her husbands hair. "Hermione, when does the project start?" Harry tensed and sighed in sadness. Hermione chuckled at him and waved her hand dismissively.

"We've talked about this. It will start when it starts and end when it ends. Next time you see me, it'll still be me, I promise." Hermione's voice was near desperate. "I swear it."

"We know 'Mione. I just hope it works the way you say it will." Ginny reached over the low table for the brunettes hand. "You mean a great deal to us, I hope you know. Dean and Ron too."

Hermione gripped her hand and smiled warmly. "Yes, I know."

The moon was high when Hermione left Potter Manor. Apperating into her flat wasn't what she planned on, but she really needed a change of clothing. She walked into her living space happy to note that there was a few things moved around, as there had been last night. Her walls were lined with pages and pages of equations and runes. Thin magic lines connected names, times, and an orb, floating in the air, just above her head. Ten years, it took the brightest witch of her age. As an Unspeakable she officially took the title of Ministry Master of Arthmancy and Time. It took her five years to figure out the equations alone. Photos of faces of loved ones. Remus, Fred, Tonks, Dobby, Lavender, Professor Snape. Then she had to combat not only the outcomes and how she was to fix them, but the Ministry red tape. Now she had all she needed. A knock on her door had her pausing in her perusal of her work.

"Master Granger?" A low voice. Hermione quirked a brow. "It's Mr. Jonathan."

Ah, the reporter. Hermione had sent him an owl so that she could get the record straight and keep it that way. Mr. Jonathan was the Ministry appointed Journalist that seemed incapable of writing anything but the truth, often refusing jobs because of the clandestine nature of them. Opening the door Hermione immediately turned on her heel and began to clear her walls. "Good evening, Mister Jonathan."

The young and lanky man shuffled into her flat, his eyes darting from page to page as they gathered themselves before resting on the pensive in the middle of the room. "Is that the pensive you use? For the memories, I mean?"

"Yes, indeed it is. It's filled with nearly every recalling of the battle, how and when people and loved ones perished."

"It's my understanding that you plan to go back in time to save some of them?"

"All of them actually. Every single member that fell defending Hogwarts and the Light." Mr. Jonathan looked concerned.

"Master Granger, if this did indeed work, wouldn't they already be here, saved and safe?" Hermione watched as her work finished gathering itself and plop itself in the open bin on her kitchen floor.

"Inflamarae. Yes, however, as per the Ministry request, I have instructions for everyone I plan to save, disillusionment and appearance charms. It is more than likely, all those who have been saved, have been living beside us for ten years, quietly waiting for tomorrow. I expect it will be a day to remember."

Mister Jonathan seemed excited to say the least. "So you're absolutely sure, that all of this information you will be using is correct?"

Hermione shrugged off her coat and grabbed her bag from a low drawer in the table. "Yes, I am. Actually, since it wont matter much tomorrow I suppose I can tell you. My future self has been leaving me very helpful notes and tips."

Jonathan looked like his head was going to cave. "So, your future self, remembering the notes and tips from now, sent them to her past self..." He trailed off and Hermione snickered.

"Mister Jonathan, please. I had to work five years straight to get some semblance of understanding time. You can actually hurt yourself trying. Merlin knows how many times I have ended up in Mungo's."

Hermione looked at her rather empty flat with satisfaction. Her last night in this time and she was ecstatic. The easy black cloth that wrapped her body, breathed and moved with her as she strapped on the belt and pouch at her hip. Her hair, still crazy curly had won her over many years ago, and now lay draping down her back pressed into a large and long braid. Her wand, in its holder and wrapped in leather, at her wrist. She locked the door behind her, grinning at those who walked past. Outside she could hear the press and gaggles of people waiting for her to show her face.

"Master Granger are you scared?" The first insipid question. Hermione's face scrunched up in displeasure.

"Why would I be?"

The people moved from her path as she made her way into the apparition point for the Ball held in Honor of the Dark Lords Fall. Originally it was named the Victory of Harry Potter, that is until Harry heard about it. They changed it the next day. Ten years was a long time to still get excited but now they had a whole new reason to be excited. Many of those that fell would be revealing themselves after the ceremony. Hermione, unpermitted to see her handy-work before it happened, would already be on her way into the past. The Minister of Magic Rundle Underpoil was very please to see her arrive, his flowing green robes with black stripes made Hermione's eyes cross. "Ah! Esteemed Master Granger, how goes the final day?"

"It is going very well Minister. My final preparations are finished and I am very ready to get underway." Hermione gripped his hand in hers, grinning at the flashing cameras and the man she had come to respect for his empathy and understanding.

"Rundle, please. How many times must I ask you?" He shook his stout head and smiled back warmly. "Your spot on the stage is ready for you whenever you wish to start."

Hermione let his hand lead her to the wide stage past the tables filled with what seemed to be thousands. The Minister took his place at the podium with a friendly grace, truly the face of a family man. "Welcome to the Tenth Anniversary of the Fall of The Dark Lord. The Triumph of Light." Cheers cried out from the crowd. Harry and Ginny sitting at the front table clapping and whooping loudly. "This year we have a very special event that I am honored to be able to finally reveal to you. As I am sure you all know, this beautiful lady next to me is Arthimancy Master Hermione Granger. She has brought us many wonderous inventions and changes in these short ten years. Everything from the Truth Quills to the leading discoveries in healing potions and spells. She has saved countless and plans to do so again. She has been working closely with the Ministry for neigh on ten years to bring back the joy from our mourned past. Master Granger, would you like to say some final words?"

Hermione smiled and took to the podium. "Hello again, it's very nice to see all of you before I leave. Tonight you will see some people you may remember from a very dark time in our lives. You will not see me again, and I am so very happy to make this sacrifice. However, you may see a future beyond what you thought possible. I leave you with this: the future is often sitting beside us." Her mischievous grin was shared by Ginny and Harry with a few random others she didn't recognize in the crowd. As she turned her attention to the glass time turner, Hermione began to chat low under her breath and gently flicked the device with her wand. As she cast one last glance out to the audience, she noticed twelve wands glowing, pointed to the sky by several witches and wizards, standing tall and as she felt the tug, she realized. They were everyone she saved.


	2. Chapter 2

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

 _ ** _ **foreverkake**_**_ , your wish is my command.

* * *

 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Two****

Hermione looked around at the empty Ministry with an out of breath grin. She gave herself a moment to celebrate her success before opening her purse and retrieving a leather bound journal that contained everything she had already memorized. She was not infallible. The constant badgering happiness seemed to be more of a distraction and Hermione took another second to focus on the words written in her notes.

" _ _Tempus__." The night of the final battle began in less than 2 hours. Dobby was already gone for some time, during the skirmish that took her hostage. Time to see if everything else went according to plan. In the bottom of her bag, Hermione could see the faint glow of the __protean__ charm, indicating that she was correct. "McNeign, Doft. Report." Her voice echoed into a dark and empty hall. Two figures disillusioned themselves just to her right, rightfully scaring the bollocks out of her.

"Master." Twin grins on her two apprentices had her gently socking both in the arm.

"How long have you been waiting to do that, you scoundrels?" She huffed and hugged each in turn. "Any complications?"

The two tall men shook their heads. "None whatsoever. The extraction was perfect." Hermione nodded, now completely sure of her success. Time to go to work.

"Well, you two should have it memorized. What's next?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at the look that the two men exchanged. "How long have you two been here?"

Doft shrugged. "A few hours." Hermione glowered at him. All sense of friendship and comradery gone. "I-I mean, three years, forty-five days, and sixteen hours, Master."

Hermione scowled and tapped her face to spell her mask into place. The two men quickly caught on to the reason for their masters all business attitude and quickly spelled their own into place. The Mastery frown as they (and Harry) affectionately called it. They both took in the disappointment on her face before reassuring her that in that time they were not seen. The two were orphans of the war, parents both dead before she had even gotten into the fifth year. In many ways, they looked to Hermione as a mother, father, and teacher. "Are we ready to get started?"

The two men nodded and she took their outstretched hands with a measure of steal. A soft pop alerted the wood around them to their arrival. Soon the first of the evening would begin. " _ _Tria Videara Oculus."__ From her position, she could see clear to the top of the astronomy tower, a tall black figure, glaring at the dimming sun,. Hermione gave a little yip of joy at the sight of her old professor. Alive. Unhappy, but alive. Now all's they had to do was wait. After slipping into her mask, Hermione stood over her two kneeling men. She was chanting low and watched as a black inky smoke drifted from her wand and covered them both, before doing to herself as well.

"You have your assignments. Take the journal with you, if anything goes wrong, cast your magic with knowledge." They both nodded and though she could not see them, she knew they had heard her. "Be well my friends. Merry meet."

"Merry part, Master." She tapped her wand against the wards protecting the grounds surrounding the castle.

' _ _Scientia Domun. I acknowledge you. Will you grant us passage, unheard, unfelt?'__

 _ _'Childe of Time, you are welcome. Heed your steps and remember what I have taught you.'__

 _ _'I am your student, I am humbled.'__

 _ _'I am Honored Scientia Domun, I welcome you.'__

Hermione watched, pleased and truly humbled as the castles wards parted in a thin silvery space. The two men followed her through and watched as the wards realigned. "The students should be in the great hall by now. Watch for the signal." They nodded and left her just as she stepped onto the spelled water of the black lake.

The crashing over head and spiraling black form of Professor Snape had Hermione dunking herself soundlessly into the black lake. The darkened waters spiraled around her in air bubbles and magic. The boys were well on their way to making it into the castle as Hermione sunk into the deep. There, laying in a circle of algae and small fish sat her prize. A single brilliant feather, untouched by water. Translucent and shimmering, unable to be seen unless you knew what to look for. A gentle tune reached her ears as Hermione came closer. A lilting melody that, had she not been protected, would have lulled her into a deep and inescapable sleep. The Merpeople of the black lake came from the tall underwater trees around her. Hermione had her wand at the ready, knowing that sinking was never going to be the issue. She reached out and grabbed the feather and the music turned to screeching. It was getting back up that was going to be the problem.

Hermione gasped, the water was a crushing weight, even for her magic. The creatures circling her hissed and began to scratch at her wards. Hermione took one glance at the feather before putting it into her bag. Her wards were beginning to crack, silvery lines, like broken glass. Hermione's wand made quick work of the cracks, and still she sank.

"Come on, Hermione. Don't do this." She was muttering to herself, one arm casting continuously and her other arm reached deep into her bag. Sweat began to drip into her eyes as she worked, looking by feel and keeping her eyes on the army around her. A deep rumble had her freezing before she dropped her wand to her bag. " _Accio_!" The feel of a broom handle snatched into her grip just as her wards began to fall. A long and thick tentacle was moving the blackened water to her left as she looked up. The resounding crash of her wards shattering flung her into long strips of kelp. 'Go.'

The water above her was rippling just before she shot out of it, dripping and terrified. However, just as soon as she resurfaced, so did the large tentacle that was coming for her. Hermione didn't want to hurt any of the creatures in the lake, and as such barely gave it a glance before guiding her broom to the astronomy tower. She could hear the students gathering and moving about in the castle, searching for Slytherins and Deatheaters. The charm on her wrist glowed faintly. She tapped it with her wand and sighed. Part one: complete. Harry had found the diadem and Ronald was in the chamber with her.

The battle was underway. A perfect view of the corridors posed itself on her map. Ten years of advancement benefited the Marauders map. Fred Weasley was making his way into the passages of Hogwarts. His brother Percy was soon to be not far behind. Hermione glanced out into the darkening night, the line of dark forces glittering like a plague.

Hermione stepped into action and sped past the many students that couldn't see her. " _Tempus."_ She was running out of time before the explosion that is supposed to take out Fred. A low and rumbling boom alerted her as she approached the corridor of the explosion. Fred was grinning but with a very dark and haunted look in his eyes. Hermione felt the time move at a snails pace before another explosion had just started to shake the Hall. She lifted her wand and sent out a spark for those who could see it.

" _Tempus Arresto!"_

She watched, as in slow motion the wall began to crack and crumble, fast approaching Fred. She tapped him with her wand, immobilizing him and sending him unconscious. Shoving him quickly to the side, she laid a small bead on the ground, and watched on as it grew and turned to the shape of her memories. A crumpled figure of the dead Fred Weasley. McNeign and Doft seemed to appear out of no where and took him by the arms. "Phase two is complete master."

"Good. Now when you get out and take them with you, I don't want any mistakes. Remember, keep them under until its finished. We've got four minutes and twenty-three seconds. Let's make this happen."

"Understood." She turned on her heel and ran towards the front. Greyback was advancing on Lavender, and Hermione had one shot at this. Quickly casting on the young blond Hermione set the bead and sent the girl away with the tap of her wand. She was running again, moving around trickling spells and fallen enemies. Lestrange was casting Unforgivables on Remus and Tonks. Moving them and sending them away, she prepped each bead.

It was quick work to her mind, but she was very quickly running out of time. Less than one minute and she had to be back at the greenhouse. She made it into the field before time tripped up and started again. A curse flung towards her, although she was unseen, she made note of all that were casting near her. A purple curse nearly stopped her endeavor if it wasn't for a strong arm catching her in her stride and pulling her to the side.

"Constant vigilance, young Master Granger."

Hermione practically threw herself into the arms of Alastor Moody. The boys were successful... and didn't fucking listen to a damn word she said. "You aren't supposed to be awake. How long have you been awake? Are there any lasting effects? How did you know to be here?"

"Slow down Granger, I can answer your questions later. Isn't there somewhere you need to be?" His voice was pretty close to joking as Hermione gasped and flung herself towards the greenhouses. She saw her professor and Voldemort inside the tinted dirty windows. Harry and Ron would be along with her younger self shortly. She waited beside the doors until they both had turned away from the slightly ajar entrance. Slipping in she was very surprised that the sound of her professors voice seemed to cut her deep as he spoke.

"The wand only responds to you, my lord." Hermione knew that the three were now hidden behind the banister of the wall. She cut the sound from her mind, unable to stop the shaking of her hands as she witnessed for the second time the vicious attack of Nagini. From the font it was much, much worse. The barrage of strikes, brutal and efficient her professor bled out slowly, the venom of the snake paralyzing most of his body. Harry dashed into the greenhouse and took Snapes memories, and once again Hermione was glad she removed her auditory ability. She couldn't imagine listening to his broken speech filled with fear and desperation again. Just as Harry took his memories, Snape began to fade, gazing listlessly into the empty air, unknowingly directly at Hermione.

" _Stabitis Patrificus."_ Professor Snape's body halted and froze, unknowingly still alive, but looking dead as the teens left him in the dark. Hermione rushed to his side, retrieving vials from her pouch. Dumping one after another into the dark wizards mouth and running her wand across the wounds covering his neck and chest. " _Sanas Propisus, Exitous Teamparis."_ His eyes were beginning to move again, his pulse strong, the blood that covered his black robes sucked back into his body while dark black and yellow oily goop smeared itself down his front. Hermione gathered it with her wand and pushed it into an empty case from her pouch. "Professor, I need you to take a deep breath." As his eyes widened at the sound of her voice he took in a deep rattling breath. Hermione smiled gently, though he couldn't see it before tapping him as she had with the others. The last bead in her pocket rolled between her fingers as Moody picked the fallen hero from his spot.

"Take him, but be careful of his vitals, please." Moody showed no signs of hearing her as he gripped the lanky man to him. "Is phase four complete?"

"Yes, Granger, it is done. I hope you know what you're doing."

His gruff voice didn't surprise Hermione, the man didn't exactly exude warmth. "I do and right now, I need to stop Harry from destroying something."

Hermione watched on as Harry was carried into the courtyard of the castle, huddled to Hagrid in 'death'. The final stroke came much faster than she remembered it, but that was probably due to the fact that she knew what was going to happen this time. She watched as Draco and his family ran from the final decision. They were right to, it wasn't safe considering most of the light were still very angry and riding the high of winning. As Harry and Ron walked with her younger self Hermione slipped the Elder wand from Harry's pocket, replacing it with a lookalike.

The wand felt annoyingly nice in her grip. Now it was time to make sure everyone had made it safe.

Hermione took a step toward the edge of the bridge where Harry had just dumped the useless wand pieces. She took a deep breath and stepped off the edge, broom already being enlarged by her wand.


	3. Chapter 3

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

* * *

 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Three****

Hermione walked into the house that had once held her parents with a sense that she was not only successful but that something was about to go terribly wrong. Her suspicions were confirmed with the sight of Fred Weasley snickering softly with Lavender Brown. "How- Whe- BOYS?"

Hermione heard a loud scuffle in the kitchen with exclamations of 'shit' and 'Oh fu-' "Hello, you must be the 'Master' they'd mentioned." Fred approached her as she took a step back, not wanting to quite believe that this was happening. Fred was shaky but seemed to be fine. "Hermione, come over here and give me a hug, or so help me-" Hermione dove into his arms, not crying but taking deep gasping breaths. "They said you'd be angry we woke, but they have a good reason, I promise." He grinned at her and shrugged. "Those are some nice blokes you got there."

Hermione rolled her eyes and stepped back. Remus and Tonks were both laying on the floor, covered with blankets, sweating. Hermione rushed to them, taking their vitals and administering potions. "They- you are not suppose to be awake yet. The spell should have held until you were at full health. I dont understand how they even managed to wake you."

"We didn't-"

"We promise."

Hermione glared at the two in the kitchen doorway. "Then explain this to me." Her voice didn't raise, it didn't have any inflection. Just calm and straightforward. The two men looked at eachother and gulped. "Explain how ten...years... of research, let this happen." Fred and Lavender looked slightly shocked at her tone and more so at the frank fear on the two grown men.

"They just woke up. We got here and just like with Moody, they just started waking up."

"Moody's alive?" Fred sounded ecstatic and very amazed, so at least she had that to wallow in.

"Yes, he is. Did you at least remember the memory charms?" Her eyes struck the two with intensity, dark with anger and the need to be back in control of the situation.

"Yes, we got them taken care of. We couldn't be sure about the memories while they were sleeping though. We answered their questions as best we could, the outcome of the war and all that." Hermione nodded and turned a bright smile to Fred and Lavender.

"Do you remember what happened, at all?" Fred shook his head and paused.

"How we got here, or the battle?"

"Do you remember what happened just before you woke up here?" Her voice turned insistent and pleading.

"No, not at all." Fred turned to Lavender and she shook her head negative. "They said you saved us. Saved us from what?"

"Death, I'd imagine." Hermione looked over to Tonks, who had just grabbed her husbands hand, awake and alert. "Hello."

"Hello Mrs. Lupin, how are you feeling?" Hermione waved her wand over the woman. "Any headaches, pain, or heavy discomfort?"

"No, minus feeling like I just slept twelve hours on this floor. We nearly died didn't we?"

"Why would you say that?"

"The last thing I remember was a flash of green and looking into Remus' eyes. Will he be alright?"

"Yes, he will. If you wouldn't mind, while I check him over before he wake, these two men will debrief you in the kitchen." Tonks got up and went with Dolf and McNeign into the dimlit kitchen. The house was covered in candlelight, giving the rooms a different feel from the last she'd seen it lit. Remus began to stir and Hermione tapped her want to his temple, casting the memory charm. "Welcome to the land of the living Remus. We're glad to have you back."

His eyes opened with a start and Hermione helped him sit up. "Where's Dora?"

"She's in the kitchen with two men that will be debriefing you." Remus got up in a hurry and skittered into the kitchen on unsteady feet. "Where's the Professor? Where's Moody?" Fred looked at Lavender, but both shrugged at the brunette. "Great. Dobby!"

"Missus Master Granger, Dobby is here." Hermione looked down to the small house elf with a great deal of happiness. "Dobby would like to be Missus elf, if he could please. A life-debt Dobby never will be able to pay."

"Never you mind about that life-debt, saving you was paying mine. I would be honored to take you on as my house elf." Hermione gave the small creature her hand, palm face up. A thin blue line of magic came from the elf and wrapped itself into her hand. Dobby's face lit up as Hermione took out her wand and gave the small elf a dark blue drape, sashed with a golden tan cloth. "You are now of the House Granger, and I am very honored to include you."

"You don't have a House 'Mione, do you?" Fred's voice was excited and confused.

"I do, it was granted with my Order of Merlin, First Class." Lavender scrunched up her nose in confusion before Hermione saw it work it out behind her eyes.

Hermione dusted off her black clothes and turned her attention back to Dobby. "Dobby, where is Professor Snape and Auror Moody?" The house elf pulled on an ear happily and pointed to the back bedroom door.

"In there Master. Dobby was told not to go in. May I's be going back to the young Creevey now?"

"Yes, but please do not let him know any of what is going on."

He seemed upset about that, but Hermione could understand why. The boy was often an issue. However, the last thing Severus Snape needed to see first thing was someone who he believed dead. But then why was Moody in there? Her eyes widened before moving into action. Opening the back door, she scanned the room for any sign of Moody, as Professor Snape lay in the bed, sweating and panting. A displacement of air brought Hermione's blade from her waist to block the jagged and wicked looking metal aimed for her neck. A clash of sparks had her casting wandlessly.

' _ _Ebublio.__ '

Moody was suddenly caught in the large bubble, lifting him into the air as Hermione snatched his dagger from his trapped hand. "Constant vigilance, old man."

He chuckled and waved his wand, popping the bubble and landing on his feet. "Very nicely played. Are the others awake yet?"

"Yes, now what are you doing in here?"

"I was just keeping an eye out." Hermione rolled her eyes at the joke, and handed his knife back to him. "Where'd you learn that?"

Hermione froze as she put away her dagger. "I was the one to clean out your flat in the future. I found your old journal and your 'home away from home'."

Moody, instead of being pissed like she thought he'd be, seemed almost bashful at the mention of his hideaway. Hermione had read the journal during her research, hoping to have a better understanding of all that occurred during the entirety of the battle against Voldemort. Instead she found the map to an undisclosed location(she still didn't quite understand where it was), a thick metal house, half buried in the ground. Every time she opened the door, it opened to a different room, and while quite frustrating at first, she realized quickly that one need only turn the handle to change rooms. At first, all was as normal as she expected it to be, until she noticed very faint traces of fresh wood as she checked under the bed. Fresh wood, not like the old and hardened posts that held the cot. A trap door?! Of course he'd have a trap door. Jeez men were dramatic.

Inside held a beautiful room, that immediately started to attack her. It beat her bloody and spat her into the bathroom. She woke in a tub of potions. The next day, she came back and tried again. Over and over. Until she could sit in the room, calmly, and take the oncoming surprises. Of course as soon as she managed that, a light waved over the room and it started all over, harder and stronger. Hermione went there for months before eventually adding to the house and buying the property from the goblins.

"Did you..." His mouth seemed to shrug. "Like it?"

"Oh, Moody I loved it so much I bought it."

"Really?" He was surprised and strangely happy that it went to someone who understood its value.

"Now, I really must check on Professor Snape, so if you would please?"

Hermione shooed him from the room and quietly shut the door behind him. Turning to the dark figure on the bed, Hermione suddenly realized something she really felt like she should have realized a long time ago. Severus Snape was going to be pissed. Not only did she put herself in danger, she plays with time, and he would now(to his mind) owe her a life-debt. Hermione sighed and looked over his pale countenance. That's fine. Let him be angry. She was still going to make sure he stayed alive. His eyelids were dark with insomnia and his lips stained purple from the dreamless sleep that he probably was drinking every night with his fire whiskey.

While asleep, he seemed almost... friendly. Hermione snickered at the thought with a shake of her head. Kind, and at peace. Then again this was probably the first night in a very long time that he slept at all. Guilt from a tiny glimpse of his life. A mere thirty years worth, but in the scheme of things, probably didn't even amount to ten. He was a wizard for Morgana's sake. The lifespan is nearly doubled as compared to a muggle. Thirty years was a fifteen minute walk in the park of a whole twenty four hour day for a wizard.

His sweating went down as did his shallow quick breaths. Hermione barely noticed, watching his features and resisting the urge to remove his tattered robes. His hair was shorter than she remembered, then again, she can attest to the fact that having your head over a potion cauldron does mess with your hair. Perhaps this is how it was when it wasn't constantly barraged with steam from only he knows what boiling away. It looked soft.


	4. Chapter 4

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

* * *

 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Four****

Hermione tapped her wand gently to the mans robes, dragging it across as the clothing stitched itself back together. Hearing raised voices from outside the room, Hermione cast a quick shielding and silencing charm. Last thing she wanted to deal with is people who hadn't finished their debriefing to barge in here and undo her work on the professor. Hermione was very surprised to feel a heady nervousness as Professor Snape stabilized on the bed before her. It was hard to imagine his reaction when he woke, and Hermione had spent quite some time thinking through scenarios. Anger, disbelief, even happiness she was prepared for- or so she hoped. She wanted to make the transition easy for as many as she could bring back into the waking world. With the Antivenom and the massive blood-loss many tried to tell her that it wasn't likely that even if she did manage to make it to the professor, there may be a chance she may not be able to save him.

Hermione slumped against the bed near his hip and put her head in her hands. There had been twelve wands in the air, back in her original timeline. She had only saved six so far. The feather that now sat innocently in her purse was just a small piece of what she needed to collect.

 ** **Eight Years Ago-Two Years in the Future****

In her studies, Hermione found that there was numerous mentions of a live statuesque winged woman, somewhere in the high and barren hills of the triangle of magic, a cluster of islands that are said to hold some of the most powerful and oldest magic known. This woman was said to hold the secrets of time and space itself in the wind between her feathers. Hermione had quickly thrown herself into the lore, hoping beyond hope that she would be able to truly accomplish her task. The islands took her three years to locate, and another two to explore. When she had arrived, there was a book sitting on the bank, covered in a magical bubble. It was filled with the secrets of the land, creatures she would be able to fight, and unknowns it was recommended not to even try. Most of her time was running away from things she knew she wouldn't be able to defeat. Her time spent training in the vigilance room had been just before locating the islands, and she found herself entirely grateful that she purchased the Moody Home.

She had found the lady, and it was a statue. Hermione had huffed and approached it with respect and caution nonetheless. She stood a great deal taller than the brunette and the large wings that connected at her back swayed gently as they curled around the woman's body. The statues face, completely obliterated, showed signs of once being beautiful. Hermione was admiring the long golden feathers when an inscription caught her eye at the bottom of the statues stage.

" _ _Me at amicum…"__ Hermione whispered as she read the words. __Come and call me friend.__ Hermione had nearly screamed as the would-be statue came to life and shoved the empty rock where her face should have been, directly into Hermione's.

"Do you come seeking time and space?" The voice was light, and strangely reminded Hermione of Luna. She nodded in fear and apprehension before realizing that the thing before her had no eyes. She soon realized it didn't matter. "I will give time and space to you, Hermione Granger. I need something in return."

Hermione kept her body low to the ground where she had fallen. "Please, tell me and I vow to try my hardest to achieve it."

The statues wings unfurled and exposed several missing patches. "I need to find my missing pieces. They have been stolen and caste into time and space. I will gift you the knowledge you seek, should you vow to become my hunter."

"I vow. Please, I need to understand."

"You will."

 ** **Now****

Hermione blinked awake, unaware that she had fallen asleep, or for how long. She twisted to look at the bed, relieved to see the man still there, in the same condition. She checked the time and breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that her nap had been a short twenty minutes. She reached into her purse and retrieved her leather-bound journal, and her charcoal scratcher. She documented silently, attempting every now and then to remove the soreness and kinks out of her back and neck. Hermione was just finishing her understandings of what had happened so far when she froze at the feel of movement on the bed behind her. Looking up, she was not prepared. Not nearly as much as she had hoped. Severus Snape was waking.

Harry had been asleep while Moody took the Elder Wand into his room silently. Gently placing the wand into his grasp, Moody cast a silent __Expelliarmus__. Leaving while Harry stirred in his exhausted deep sleep, Moody gathered the wands of the not-so-fallen.

Hermione wasn't really afraid of the professor anymore. It had been ten years for her to come to terms with what she knew of the man versus what he had shown her. She had been given full access to the pensive of all that were involved with the war. Of course, as an Unspeakable, she was confined to utter secrecy and silence for all that she discovered. With each Deatheater she had reviewed the memories of, Hermione was convinced of her goal. There was far too much death and horrid evil that surrounded innocents during that time of war. When the Minister had approached her with Lucius Malfoy's pensive, Hermione began to work on a way to view memories that had been viewed in every pensive she had collected. She watched brutality and true darkness in many of the memories she uncovered. However, Hermione hesitated to do it with Professor Snape's Pensive. He was someone she was planning on bringing back, and really didn't feel as though it was right to view what he had kept in there for his viewing pleasure. When Harry brought her Dumbledore's she was bombarded with bits and pieces of the professor's life.

Eventually, Hermione caved. She viewed all of the memories that the professor had watched and secreted away in his pensive. That alone had sent Hermione on her way to Mungos. She never would have imagined what Professor Snape had to witness and partake in. The emotions that connected to memories were overwhelming and often dangerous to the point where her boss assigned a healer to work directly with her while she investigated. Severus Snape was a selfless, intelligent, and incredibly stupid. He truly felt unworthy of any kind of happiness. Hermione had raged at one point, screaming and throwing things in her anger at Dumbledore for allowing him to believe his only use was to live a life of horror. For one, stupid, insignificant moment in his teens. About a woman who wasn't nearly as attached to him as he had been to her. She married his enemy, shouldn't that be reason enough to forget about her? Instead, that stupid, stupid man joint the Deatheaters just in time to deflect because of that same stupid moment. His fathers abuse seemed mild compared to what he suffered at the hands of his brothers in arms, on both sides of the war. Hermione had stayed bitter about it for months before realizing why Professor Snape had been the way he was, and felt a deep sorrow for him alongside with her righteous anger. That eventually grew to understanding and appreciation. She had nearly gone into Potions instead of Arithmancy for her Mastery before realizing she wouldn't have Professor Snape as her Master, and changed the direction of her research.

Professor Snape winced and twitched as he woke, and Hermione gritted her teeth in anticipation. His dark lids fluttered briefly before he took in a deep shuddering breath. Hermione checked him over before pulling her clothes and hair to rights, and then realized what she was doing and huffed at her vanity. "Professor Snape, you are safe and you will be fine. Please lift your left arm for me?"

Snape opened his eyes and cringed before lifting his arm and clenching his fist. "This is not Mungo's." His voice suffered no discernable damage, if it was a little deeper than she remembered.

Hermione gently led his arm back down to his side as she checked him over one last time. "No, this is a safe house. I am glad to inform you that the war against Voldemort has been won. You are very lucky to be alive, sir."

Snape opened his eyes after blinking a few times and focused in on her. "Miss Granger, how long have I been unconscious?"

Hermione snapped her eyes up to his with astonishment. "How did you know it was me, Professor?" He said nothing and kept his intent stare on the woman at his bedside. "You have been asleep in a magical coma for nearly six hours." Her old professor glared up at her with an angry confusion, black eyes tracing over her obvious signs of age. "For me, its been eight hours over ten years. The ministry has sent me back to save key members of the resistance, giving them a second chance at life, sir." Hermione cringed and waited for his reaction.

"Time travel." His voice was flat, showcasing his disbelief. Hermione snatched up her journal and stuffed it into her beaded purse.

"Yes sir. I will be right back with two men that will be able to brief you on the current situation." Hermione was proud to say that she found herself prepared to deal with a skeptical Professor Snape more so then the rest of the possible options. She took down the wards with a flick of her hand and stuck her head out of the door with a raised voice. "Doft, McNeign, front and center." The two men made it quickly to her side and immediately began their report.

"Master, Lupin and Tonks are debriefed and Moody has gone to retrieve their replacement wands." Doft spoke quickly and Hermione nodded before letting both men into the room. Snape had sat up against the headboard of the deep chestnut wood, holding his throat and chest, shirt open and tracing the faint lines that were scaring. McNeign took out his wand, ready to begin casting the memory charm, to remove the trauma from the double agents mind. "McNeign." He stilled and looked to his Master. "Not him. I'm not even sure its possible to access his mind from the outside."

Snape glared at the three in his makeshift hospital room with hostility at the mention of messing around in his head.


	5. Chapter 5

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

* * *

 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Five****

"Miss Granger, I demand an answer." Snape's tone was nasty and Hermione was gratified in a way to see Doft and McNeign stare wide-eyed at her former nightmare fuel. Hermione glanced at the prone figure on the bed, he was still glaring at her, hadn't stopped since he woke up. Rolling her eyes she turned back to the doorway with a scowl.

They were staring at Snape in fear for his life before turning to her, expecting a bloodbath to ensue. No one had ever dared speak to Hermione Granger like that in damn near ten years.

 ** **Nine Years Ago-One Year Later****

It was during her brief stint in the Ministry, which mostly consisted of getting challenged by those who didn't understand that they lost, that people remembered that war changes people. She took great care and enjoyment in reminding them with a few well aimed hexes and making them fear for their lives with a look. One pureblood intern had been given a personal tour of Azkaban, she showed him around with a few Aurors at first before they found an empty hallway and they stood at the entryway while they went to the other end of the hallway. She had dragged the 18 year old into an empty cell and flung him to the ground behind the bars before following him inside. The guards stood there for a good minute before the boys darting figure sped past them and out towards the exit. Hermione walked out with a grin that was all sweetness. When asked, she shrugged and told them the same thing, over and over. 'I just showed him the way of things. I didn't lay a hand on him, promise.' The boy went to Mungo's and it was reported by someone that he'd spoke about the incident with the paper.

She expected the worst, and held no remorse as she walked into work the next day. She was pleasantly surprised when all's anyone could tell her was he just kept repeating 'We lost. It's over. I'm sorry. Please don't let her come back.' Hermione got a good long laugh out of that. Harry was snickering next time they had lunch.

"You'd think they'd stop sending these people to you." Hermione shook her head and laughed.

"I think they like the results more than the loss of people, Harry."

"What did you say to him in the cell?" Hermione half shrugged and gave a wry smirk.

"I might have said something to the effect of 'I'm going to enjoy visiting you in here. I'll be the only one allowed to see you. No contact, except the Dementors, of course. Is that too harsh? Maybe we can get you a roommate, I hear they finally caught that corpse-fucker in Knockturn. You know, you kind of look like some of his victims, some of the prettier ones. Perfect age and everything too. I'll go arrange it with Harry, I think. I'm sure he would be a wonderful... companion. Of course, he might get frustrated, he only gets off when he kills them."

Harry was hyperventilating and wiping his eyes. "Poor boy. Everyone knows the only way to die in Azkaban is old age. That terrible, Hermione."

Hermione grinned over her glass and winked.

 ** **Now****

"If you gentlemen would not mind excusing us, I think," Hermione turned back to the sour, pale face glowering at her, "I think I'll take care of this charm and vow. Have the others been sworn in?"

"You will not be touching me you pathetic girl. Where is your less intelligent two thirds? Dead, I assume." Doft and McNeign visably jerked away from Hermione as she tensed. The two men silently made their way back into the doorway, inching as slowly as their combined fear would allow.

"Have... they been sworn in?" Hermione's voice was rough and made of pure livid darkness.

"Absolutely Master. Everything is as you planned... minus that they woke early." Doft trailed off as Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and bared her teeth.

"Get. Out." The two men, never seeing the look of utter surprise on the man behind her, ran into the hall as she closed the door. Her movements precise and closely relegated. She kept her breathing even as she turned to look at Snape. He went to speak, sneer on his face. Hermione flung her fingers toward him with a peaceful smile, watching as his lips sealed together, removing his mouth. Snape's eyes went wide in anger and horror as he felt his face, still attempting to speak. "Do you like my spell Professor? I developed it myself, or I will in about three years. It came to me after watching an amazing muggle movie about alternate realities and bringing down the establishment."

Hermione sat on the bed as Snape snatched her wrists forcefully. Realizing he was attempting to either scare her or hurt her, Hermione frowned and raised her eyebrow, as she often did with her two apprentices. "Either let me go, or you can find out what else I can fuse together."

Snape tightened his grip, and Hermione gave him a pitying look. Snape obviously was going to be in for a nasty shock when push came to shove and Hermione would come out on top. Hermione grinned and casted her eyes down to the lap of the man holding her. "You wouldn't be the first, and I'm the only one who can undo it. So," she smiled knowingly, "want to reevaluate your decisions before I rearrange your bits? I have information you need to know, but I will not let you speak to me as if I am still 18. You're choice."

He flung her wrists from him and paused before nodding. Hermione dragged her finger across where his mouth should have been, and he took a relieved breath, swiping his lips with the back of his fingers.

"Now-" Hermione began before she heard a distinct but soft shuffling outside of the door. She gave Snape an amused look before going over and wrenching open the door. Doft and McNeign were scuffling and they looked up and let go of eachother immediately.

"Master, I am very sorry to interrupt but we need to ask you for something." Doft spoke to the point but was freaking out inside. Never ever interrupt. Hermione stared at them for a minute, blankly. McNeign caught on first. "We-in order for us to continue -we need the map Master. I'm so sorry that we interrupted your... I'm so sorry Master."

Hermione reached into her pocket and handed it over. "Get it done, and get back." The boys looked somehow more scared at the fact that she didn't part with them or acknowledge their apologies. She shut the door on them and briskly walked back into the hate-fest Snape was trying to create. "Now, Professor Snape, I need you to answer honestly. Do you feel any pain or discomfort? Anything feeling out of place or weird?"

"For the sake of health, no. I have a minor twinge in my back, but that has been there for nearly 12 years." Hermione pursed her lips and motioned with her hand.

"Show me." Snape sighed and pulled up his shirt, Hermione was given view to a nasty and tight scar on his back just under his rib cage. Hermione took out a salve to release that tightness. Snape put his shirt down and lightly glared.

"That won't work. It's from a-"

"Displacer Beast, I know, pull your damn shirt up." Snape had frozen before slowly pulling up his shirt. Hermione understood why he was surprised she knew, after all it was during a time of his life when he was still going on runs for his own potions ingredients. Displacers were nasty dark creatures with wicked tails and incredible speed. The are also extremely rare and illegal to harvest from.

"How would you know that, Miss Granger, or perhaps it's Mrs Weasley now?" Hermione smirked at his attempt to get under skin as she put the cold cream to his heated skin.

Seeing his flinch she looked him in the eyes with a thorough smugness. "Sorry."

Not.

"I know nearly everything about you barring your own personal thoughts. For your very limited information of the future, its Master Granger." Snape's eyes burned with the insult, though it wasn't truly insulting. More of a belittling.

"I heard your two... those two call you 'Master'. Dare I hope that you did not choose potions as your focus?"

Hermione wiped her hands on her trousers with a grin. "Stretch, see how it feels."

Snape moved and expanded his lungs, surprised when the expected pulling pain didn't come. "How did yo-" Hermione pulled up her sleeve, exposing a deep puckered scar. Snape knew those marks well, and was absolutely baffled on how she could have possibly retained the injury. She turned and exposed her hip, slightly lowering her pants. Another scar stretched across pale skin.

"Those tails are the absolute worst."


	6. Chapter 6

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

* * *

 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Six****

Hermione watched as the man she used to fear trembled as he stood up from the bed. While it was true she had grown taller after his demise, he still stood a good difference to her, towering over her. The plan that she had originally devised to use on explaining everything to the black clad man seemed to be escaping her as his black eyes burned into hers. Hermione felt magic tingle in her fingertips as Snape stood and straightened his clothing. She was ready for the barrage of questions she was sure the man had, however she was not ready for the assault that attempted to rip them from her mind when she met his eyes. Snape was glaring into Hermione's wide brown eyes before she felt a heavy force slam into the barriers protecting the secrets of time, and her knowledge of the future. Hermione sputtered and made it very obvious that he was unwelcome with a push that sent the mans hands to his head and stumbling back onto the bed.

"Professor Snape I am appalled at you, you didn't even ask. You can barely stand. Do you really believe me to be so weak? Do you have a death wish? Not only have you just risked your own mental health by attempting to know the future," Hermione wrenched open the door, intent on leaving him there as he sat on the bed rubbing his temples, "but I saved your life and then instead of taking away the memories while your defenses were down..."

Snape rolled his eyes at her sentimentality. "Miss Granger, cease your tongue, I have learned my lesson." Snape glared at her through his lashes. "If I had asked, would you have let me?"

Hermione shrugged and walked out of the room with a huff, not giving him any information. Remus and Fred were chatting in the kitchen, the sounds of pots and pans and water running echoing down the hall. Hermione watched as Lavender, Tonks, Doft, and McNeign all sat at the table playing cards. She stood in the doorway, watching as all of these people, who would live to see their families, would live to make one of their own. Hermione heard Snape come up behind her, glancing over her shoulder to the group inside. He leaned down and whispered in a low tone, like Hermione, not quite willing to interfere with the peaceful scene before him. "Who is in charge of this fiasco, Miss Granger?"

"That would be the resident Arithmancy and Time Master, sir. I'm sure she's willing to answer any of your questions," she glanced at him doubtfully, "provided you can treat her with respect."

Snape looked down at the woman in front of him, where a child had stood. The thick braided curls, the black cloth, and her face, worn and jaded. Hermione knew that he was taking in the details of her face, ten years of stress, injuries, and sun had not been the most kind, compared to her younger visage. Let him look, Hermione thought to herself. Let him see that I am not the same child that helped idiots with their homework. Snape traced his eyes across the scar on her chin, the lines under her eyes and between her eyebrows. Time had indeed changed Miss Granger, lets see how much.

"Master Granger, my apologies and gratitude for saving my life." Snape smirked inwardly as he felt her shock radiate off of her, however he was not expecting the brilliant smile she gave him over her shoulder.

"Don't try to play me Professor Snape." Her grin turned wicked. "I promise, you wont win."

"You may know the future, Master Granger, but this timeline is all new for you, and you have no idea what I am capable of."

Hermione listened with a thrumming in her veins. A small and quiet battle between Snape and herself seemed to be setting her mood from angry to playful. She full out laughed, uncaring that it revealed them both in the doorway. Five pairs of eyes swerved to Hermione and Snape, nice and close standing at the doorway. Hermione gave him a malicious grin and flicked her braid over onto her shoulder. "Severus Snape, I may very well be the only one do does."

Snape was watching her again, dark eyes following her around the kitchen. Fred was taking all of the peanuts from the center of the table, having won at cards once again. The boys had refused to transfigure anything for chips, saying it was more 'relaxing'. The door creaked open for Moody as cheers rang out from the makeshift card table. Moody chuckled and past out their wands before approaching Hermione with two, one in a box, and one in a bag. Snape had a feeling it was his wand in the box because the bag was much longer than his original. Hermione checked inside of each before guiding Moody into the front room. Snape watched and moved with them into the joining room, when Hermione looked to him in askance, he glared at the box in her hand pointedly. Hermione rolled her eyes and handed the bagged wand to Moody. The man shook his head very resolutely. "I don't want that, Granger."

Hermione sneered, patience for the night running very thin. "Take it, so that I may disarm you." She had a plethora of nasty names going through her head as the man realized his folly and took the wand. She took the wand out of the box, and Snape immediately stepped forward to retrieve it. "Use it well and with caution, Professor."

Snape snatched his wand from her hand and twisted to stomp back into the kitchen, but not before he glanced back to see that Moody had grasped the Elder Wand. While Moody was ready to be disarmed, he was not ready to be disarmed wandlessly. "Esceevito." Snape's eyes went wide as he watched the brightest witch effortlessly catch the most powerful wand, with his spell.

"Now, we can begin." Hermione turned smugly on her heel only to stop in her tracks do to Snape giving her a very intense look, Hermione having forgotten that not only had he still been in the room, but that the spell was never written down. Ever. The only way she could have learned it was from him. Of course Hermione knew this to be false, as she had learned it from his memories, but essentially she learned it from him. Snape went to grip her upper arm, angry, only to find himself with that hand deftly strapped to his chest, along with his other and wand. He hadn't even seen her move. "Professor Snape, I know you have questions. I will try my best to answer them honestly. However," She took a step towards him with a serine smile. "if you try to run, or harm any under this roof, provided they did not deserve it, I will make sure that you regret every moment you live." Snape went to speak only to open his mouth uselessly, unsure of how he should react.

Hermione walked back into the kitchen and tapped on the marble counter with her wand, gaining the rooms attention. "Now, for those of you who wish to know the hows and whens, Doft will be providing any answers with my trusty journal. For those of you concerned with your new identities, McNeign will be providing all information and answers on that front. Any questions?" The room stayed quiet. "Perfect. Now as for me, if you find that there is something you dislike about your new lives, please do not hesitate to bring it up with me. There is of course, becoming part of the team. In order to save you all, I made a deal with a very powerful force, and unless I wish time to unravel and for my soul to become forfeit, I must follow through with my mission. I understand if the normalcy of seeing your loved ones is much more tempting." Hermione gave another smile and watched as Doft and McNeign flawlessly handled every question, and every concern. Snape did not venture from his space at the window, every now and then catching Hermione in a dark gaze. Eventually, after dinner, Doft and McNeign confirmed her suspicions of Professor Snape. He did not inquire for a new identity.


	7. Chapter 7

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

* * *

 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Seven****

Hermione grinned in the morning light, sweat giving her skin a fine golden sheen. Moody was across the field, grinning back at her before allowing himself to just flop down onto the grass panting. Hermione stretched before pointing her wand at the cube in the center, causing a light ping! to emit. Moody groaned and looked at her in horror.

"You're a bloody menace." He stood up slowly and made his way off of the field. Hermione laughed and erected the first of many shields. The cube she had created sometime during her original travels, intent on keeping her vigilance high. Much like the room, it was a mean little creature of spells that really wanted to make her feel pain. Her job: keep it the fuck away until the timer clicked. The timer was a circular time piece in the center, much like a lock and a sundial pushed into one. It tended not to leave nearly as many injuries as home sweet home, but it was good for a workout and for killing time. Hermione snickered at the irony. Killing time, what a fucking joke. Spell after spell, and eventually, usually about two minutes in, Hermione will get tagged and the difficulty would go up. When Moody noticed this and pointed it out, she had shrugged saying, "and if you get hit in battle, they will try that much harder to bring you down, thinking victory is assured."

Hermione dove to the side, rolling in the grass with speed, the cube casting spells that took chunks of grass and soil where she had just been. She pivoted on her knee but not quick enough as the cube sent a severing hex at her and caught her ribcage. Hermione gasped and gritted her teeth in anger before pushing herself harder, moving faster, casting wandlessly with her left and holding the precision of her shield with her wand in her right. The timer would be up soon, she wasn't really paying attention, and just kept moving. Snape walked into the morning air, catching her peripheral and distracting her long enough to be launched by the cube, hitting the ground hard enough to knock her breath out.

"Keep your fucking head up Granger!" Moody was screaming at her, berating her from the sidelines like an angry coach. "Get the fuck up, it's still coming."

Hermione rolled quick, seeing the purple hex speeding toward her and jumped up with her wand at the ready. Time for endurance. She glanced at Moody with a bloodied grin, though she didn't really register it. "Hey, one last thing this little cutie can do. S-" Hermione glanced at Snape with a slight blush and cleared her throat. "Septimius, Endurance shot with wands, please."

"As you wish, Master Granger." Severus was surprised to hear the cube emit a voice, corresponding with the name she had given it. Dark and silky with a name like Septimius... what could she be thinking? The cube lifted from the ground leveling itself at her wand. It seemed to glow just before Hermione was forced to meet a spell with one of her own. Holding it and playing a game of reverse tug-of-war. She poured her magic into the exercise, no longer paying attention to the two men watching her train. The cube let out another ping! and Hermione slumped in relief, sweat and blood soaking her clothing, though she was too busy taking long deep breaths and attempting to control her heartbeat. She felt someone come up beside her, and turned to meet the empty gaze of Snape, holding out wet bit of cloth. She raised a confused eyebrow and flicked her wand up into her sleeve.

"What's this?" Hermione took the rag. Snape curled his lip briefly before seeming to think better of it and pulling out a vial from his cloak.

"Dittany," She must have given him a very confused look as he approached because he looked like he was nearly going to smile, "for your wounds, Miss Granger."

"I thank you for your help sir, but this will not be enough to seal my side at all." Just as she said this, Snape unstoppered the vial and poured it onto her larger wound, ignoring her hiss.

"You are welcome Miss Granger, that however is for your lip." Hermione's hand shot up to her face with a shocked look, attempting to feel for the injury. Snape huffed and took the rag from her and grabbed her chin. Pulling her face to him, not unkindly but not truly gently, he dabbed the solution into her wounded lip. Hermione knew she was blushing. Not only had she made an ass out of herself, but now she could smell his skin, so close to her face. Merlin did he smell good. Potions and whiskey mixed with something natural, most likely sweat. Hermione opened her eyes to find his black mocking eyes staring back at her with a rueful smirk on his lips. Hermione had no idea that he was that attractive, and now she really wished she didn't know at all. She opened her mouth and then immediately shut it before running inside. Hermione ran into the bathroom, blush and humiliation on full blast.

Moody came up behind Snape as he watched the warrior hide herself away inside, cheeks as red as the blood from her lip. Moody was chuckling. "Well, I'm sure you'll make a fine addition to the team." Snape glared at him in contempt.

"What are you talking about?"

"Granger is building a team, and I have a feeling you will want to join the party." Moody clapped his shoulder an went inside with a soft and knowing huff of amusement. Snape glanced down at the cube with distain before picking it up from its place on the grass. The inscription said 'Septimius-Foolish wand-waving not recommended' and Snape gave a chuckle as well. This girl remembered his words, and acted as if anything he said held little effect on her. No, she's not a girl anymore. She's ten years older than the young Gryffindor he knew before his 'death'. He turned the cube in his long fingers. Perhaps it was time to learn how that brilliant woman knew quite so much about him.

In the bathroom connected to the master bedroom, she looked at her reflection, flushed cheeks and hair falling from her braid in wild tendrils. Severus Snape was a supremely stupid man.

Snape walked resolutely down the dark hallway, bronze cube clasped with tight fingers. Passing the doorway the black haired wizard was unsurprised to find Hermione with the medicine kit in the bathroom. She seemed to be trying to reach the wound on the back of her thigh, her long ripped trousers torn off at the sliced fabric. Now with one bloodied leg exposed, she was able to just barely reach and apply to the wound. She was done applying it when she gave him an unamused look. "Is there something I could do for you?" She brought her leg down, wincing and pulling a hand to the injury on her side. Snape's eyes went to the area in concern as he had already applied dittany and it should no longer be an issue.

"Have you taken anything for the pain?" As his voice soothed over Hermione, she watched him toss the cube onto the bed and drop to his knees and did not answer. His warm hands moved to lift her shirt before freezing. Black eyes met brown with an intensity that Hermione gnawed on her wounded lip for a distraction as she lifted the tattered material completely out of his way and over her head. Snape was sort of proud that he managed to not immediately stare at her chest, the blood caught his attention though. Her abdomen was completely chaffed down to her hips. Snape snapped his attention to the blood slowly seeping from two smaller cuts on her side. Snape made quick work of the medical kit and had the wound cleaned and dressed. Hermione was watching him, barely breathing and barely blushing, before he handed her the pain potion. She took it with one hand, the crusting blood making her fingers feel chalky. She was not in her teens any longer. She knows that when she had been, she was a waif of a girl, this with little to no development. Now, Hermione hadn't even thought about what her body looked like in a long time. She could have a new scar every other day, so the point of knowing if she was desirable was moot. In her mind, she either was or she wasn't. Not that hard.

According to her lovers, Hermione was beautiful. However, those lovers never came back, so... Hermione mentally shrugged and watched as the man on his knees before her closed her splayed skin, his dark eyes glittering with intelligent focus. Hermione swallowed the vial of relief and gently slipped it into the sink with caution. She hadn't really thought about what she had been doing before she realized the older potions were often polluted with side effects. This one was most likely going to fuck her up, in some way. Hermione smirked down at the kneeling wet dream on the hard stone of the bathroom and removed the leather clasping her hair's tight braid. Snape didn't miss a beat, shifting her hair out of his way with gentle fingertips trailing her skin. Snape sat back, checking her over once more before realizing the situation.

"Do you feel any tightness or pain?" His voice was professional but husky. Hermione shook her head, watching him stand and wash his hands. Hermione didn't really move from her spot as he went about his business, content to watch him with a curious little smile. Hermione reached out and touched a lock of his hair, rubbing it between her fingers.

Hermione kept her eyes on his face as he realized just exactly where he was. This half naked beautiful woman was watching him with a sexy smirk, swaying from side to side. Rushing flush had Snape turning on his heel and leaving without anything further. Hermione watched him go, clutching her tattered shirt to her front with a gasping giggle.

Snape ignored the noise in the room when he walked into the kitchen, lured by the smell of tea and coffee. Lupin gave him a brief glance and drew his eyebrows together in concern at the faint smell of Hermione's blood that wafted when the Potions Master stood at the window once again. Hermione washed her body with languid and distracted movements. Hermione knew that what she was feeling was absolute and all consuming lust. She could feel his presence in every room like she was back in his classroom. Of course that just reminded her of that black frock coat... Hermione slumped down and put her face into her trembling fingers. How is he so trim? Hermione could see the figure of Snape based on the layered wool and cotton. That man was to be the death of her, she was sure.

Ginny had warned her that her crush from 4th year might rear its ugly head, to which Hermione scoffed and walked away. Now she was kicking herself for her bodies betrayal. Now was not the time to find a lover, especially one that Hermione had the feeling was going to join the team. A long groan echoed in the bathroom. Snape gritted his teeth, glaring out into the yard.


	8. Chapter 8

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

* * *

 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Eight****

Hermione swayed into the kitchen, drawn in by the smell of coffee. During her travels, Hermione was surprised when she tasted Columbian coffee and fell in love with the bitter black. Fred tried to hand her a cup of tea and some beans from last night, she ignored him and walked directly to where Snape was pouring the coffee. She waited until he had began to move before helping herself. The other people in the kitchen watched in awe as they seemed to move in unison. Sigh, sip, swallow, deep breath, sigh. Of course, Hermione was also swaying and making little noises, obviously singing along to a song only she could hear. Their eyes traveled from the woman to Snape, who leaned against the counter, using the mug to cover his smirk.

Doft and McNeign were watching their master with identical disbelieving smiles. Never had they even seen her tipsy. Hermione turned to the taciturn man at her side with a grin before slapping a letter onto his chest. Last night, she had written everything down. All that she knew, how she knew it, and what she thought. "What is this?" Snape released his mug, holding it where it was with wandless magic while he went to open the thick letter. Hermione shrugged and started looking through the cupboards.

"I figure you should know just how much I know about you." Hermione pulled a bag of chips from the top shelf and pushed herself to sit on the counter, opening her prize. Snape unfolded the letter and held it with one hand while snatching the bag out of Hermione's hands, replacing it with an apple. She huffed and bit into the fruit. "Just make sure you read all of it, before you know," she jumped off the marble, "you freak out."

Snape didn't respond as he read, eyes taking in the information she had written.

'Sir,

'This missive will detail all that I have yet to say. I know that you may have noticed my awareness to your situation and perhaps more than a few of your secrets. Let be speak plainly on what I know, why, and how I reacted. I feel no pity for your situation, nor do I feel any hope that you will forgive me in my trespasses. For the past ten years I have been researching, discovering, and obsessing over how to retrieve you all from death. When I first began, the only way to collect the information I needed was through the accounts of others, and the left over memories being stored in the fallen hero pensive. The amassed collection of memories, thousands had donated and stored inside for my use.

'I was unable to recreate a whole war, with just biased bits and pieces, large parts of information missing. I decided to begin researching ways to view memories that were previously stored. I figured it out after only six months. I went through everyone's, not just yours, before you feel too violated. The information that it provided was the key to understanding the war. While brave, I found that most of the memories didn't really effect me the way I was expecting them to. I learned all I could about the war, as it was imperative for after you were saved.

'While I may have personally saved six, the number of children, now in hiding, sixteen are under the watchful eye of Albus Dumbledore, and Aberforth Dumbledore. Your childhood, this is what I suspect will be the issue between us. I will just be plain with my opinion, and you may take what you will of it. Lilly Potter was a young, foolishly intelligent girl. James Potter was a young, foolishly arrogant boy. Severus Snape is a young, and foolishly brave man, and I am proud to know him. Honored even. That thing, once called your father, was a vile excuse for a man.

This is most likely the last I will ever speak of it, but I am very glad that he is dead.0'

Snape rolled the pages, taking measured breaths, dark eyes looking into the sunbeams making Hermione's hair glitter. Snape thought over what he had already read. She seemed to have a respect for the information she built, and since being reacquainted she had not shown any sign that she knew any of his past. Hermione finished off her coffee and vanished her mug. She could feel his eyes on her, making her gulp, throat tight. Snape considered her light eyes as he felt a shift in his body. It felt good to know that someone else knew all that he did. Everything to the nights of passionless sex to the moments when he allowed a single tear to track down his cheek when he was alone. Every spell he created, every time that he had lost his temper, fists slamming into the stones of Hagrid's hut, the half giant watching with a stony face.

She knew it all. Snape snatched his coffee from the air and left the kitchen, knowing she was following shortly after. He smirked and headed towards the bedroom. Granger wouldn't be able to resist the possibility of discussing this. She had probably been worried this whole time of his reaction to her knowledge.

Hermione felt her breath catch at the sight of Snape side eyeing her with that smirk. Her brain told her he was most likely attempting to lure her into a feeling of safety before bringing down what was sure to be a brutal hammer, her body however... That lit up like last years yule tree and the deep curling sensation in her abdomen urged her to follow, consequences be damned. She had kept a tight grip on her mug, nearly empty, and bit her lip in indecision when he was reading. She had never really expected to feel this way about a man she was sure to hate her with every fiber of his being. Hermione clenched her teeth and pushed up from the table. She would not back down, no matter the anger that awaited her. If this was to work, she needed this to be overcome. One way or another.

Snape watched her enter the room with glittering eyes, scowl firmly in place. He sat on the chair next to the bed, arms folded and face showing massive amounts of displeasure.

Hermione nearly walked back out again before shaking herself mentally. She would not be intimidated by the man who wouldn't be alive if not for her. Not for the year she had spent, studying his life and the reasoning behind Dumbledore's blunders. Hermione sat on the bed and met his gaze. Neither spoke and Hermione was very content to wait. She would sit here come dinner if she had to, but he had been the one to get her in here, he should be the first to talk.

Snape watched the woman, nothing in her body language betrayed her. Perhaps she had grown, in the years that she had lived as an adult. As she sat however, he realized the wartime pain potion had worn off by now. He was thinking of offering another before he remembered her bare torso, littered in unattended scarring. She would likely not notice, should her pain tolerance levels at the level he suspected them to be. Instead he took out her letter and began to read the second page.

'I have no issue, in any case to answer any and all questions you may have, though the ones on the future are dangerous territory.

I have preserved all of your research work, personal stores, and your books from your chambers at Hogwarts. I was also tasked with combing through your space at Spinsters End. I have all of your personals along with anything I thought, based on your memories, that you would want with your immediate person. While I know much about your past, I know truly nothing about who you are, and I don't think otherwise. I do not know you. I merely know what you have done and had to put up with.

I am not going to, in any situation, call upon the life-debt you no doubt are angry for having had thrust on you. You are wrong, sir. I owe you many more life-debts then you could possibly owe me. I have need of a partner for my future plans, and saving you was selfish, if you must think of it that way.'

Snape looked up at the woman again, finding her where she had sat, her eyes closed and face blank. She must have sensed his eyes, she opened hers in a flash of eyelashes and met his intense appraisal with the same look she got when he put tests in front of her at school. Snape smirked and crossed his legs. "You will answer all of my questions, yes?"

Her head gave a stiff nod and the man let out a slow breath. "I don't believe you."

Hermione immediately got confused. "About what.." Snape leaned into where she sat.

"Any of it." Completely untrue of course, but Snape found himself enjoying watching this woman, once a girl in his class, overcome the urge to snap at him in frustration.

"I do not see how you couldn't. It's plainly obvious that I know more than I possible could without what you see written there being the truth."

"A fabrication. Nothing more. You say you researched for ten years? That is more than enough time to piece together what you have written here." Snape watched her huff a frustrated breath and inwardly chuckled. She may be older, but her hair still sparked when angry and her eyes still begged for praise.

"I am not sure how I could Possi-" she seemed to cut herself off and give him a look of suspicion, "oh. I see, you know, I realize you're a Slytherin, but you could have just asked me."

Snape, actually not understanding her meaning, gave her a befuddled look. "I am now not sure what you mean, Granger."

"You want to see my memories, don't you? To confirm all of your suspicions and crow when you resurface?" Snape blinked before considering her idea. To see her true reactions to his life. To understand her as much as she did him. He smirked. "I am sure you know that with time travel, secrecy is of the essence. While I am not worried you will go blabbing to others of what you see, I am much worried you will feel the need to set to rights injustices that have yet to happen. This I absolutely cannot allow."


	9. Chapter 9

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

* * *

 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Nine****

Hermione was very sure of what she assumed the man before her wanted. Snape raised an inky eyebrow at her authoritative tone, finding it added to her allure, rather than take from it. If it wasn't for the lilt and candor of her voice, he would think she was imitating him. "Oh no, that's the evil voice."

A voice from the doorway had both turning to face Doft. Sandy brown hair and blue eyes laughed back at them. "She only uses that tone when we don't understand something she already taught."

Hermione stood from the bed with a scoff. "No, I use it when you don't pay attention like the dimwit you become during Quidditch season." Snape watched as she seemed to transform from the peer that sat with him for the last half hour to an unapproachable mentor that would take no surprises. "What do you need, boy?" Doft seemed to come back to himself with a snap of her voice and straightened.

"We have confirmation of e5 and e6." Hermione shook her head in exasperation.

"Then handle it. If they do not with to live out with family in secret, take the blasted choice from them. They are children and need a firm hand." The professors face did not betray his shock as the boy nodded fearfully and quick stepped out of the room. Snape watched her transform once again. The tension of her shoulders seeping out and her face becoming peaceful. Hermione flicked her fingers at the door and it slammed with a definite click and shine of wards being set in place. "Do you wish to see the memories, Professor Snape."

Her voice sounded confident, if not a little bashful. He was probably correct in assuming that she imitated his teaching styles, and much to his surprise, it sent a jolt of pleasure down his spine. "That was not in fact what I had intended, but if you are sincere, I shall not pass up the opportunity."

Hermione took a breath and sat again. This man was going to see all of her. For the first time she was worried, truly worried for his reaction. Much of what she had done, or fantasized of doing came to the forefront of her brain. Gulping, she realized that this man would be able to see everything. She had no doubt that she could keep him from her mind, but once he was allowed entrance, due to the great amount of mental connection his magical core already had with hers... There was a high likelihood she would be baring all.

"Before we begin, I need for you to understand something." He nodded, folding his hands with patience. "When I casted on your pensive, the spell gives me the link to your residual magical core connected to the memories. However, because of this, I have very little doubt that the safeguards I have on my memories will likely see you as not only invited, but will in fact be completely open to you."

Snape grinned like a Cheshire inwardly. So not only did he get a glimpse, he got the whole package. "That is fine, as you know my life, it is only fair I know yours." He said it with a haughty tone, being the git she knew he was. To his surprise, she didn't look concerned with the prospect.

"Then lets begin, Professor, but first I need that vow from you. You, Severus Snape, must vow to not interfere, pass along information about, or instigate a change about the future with any of what you glean from the future. Provided it is not part of a sanctioned mission, delivered by me."

Snape narrowed his eyes at her wording. What was he going to see that would make him wish to break the laws of time travel? "I, Severus Snape, vow." Vows are magic made of intention. To break it, is to break your magic. You don't lose it. You start with cracks before eventually attempting to light the tip of your wand caused a large sinkhole to appear.

Hermione smiled pleasantly before turning her body to him. "And please sir, if you should see or feel anything... unwanted, just ignore it." Snape had no intentions of any sort but nodded all the same.

"I think with the intimacy of what we are about to perform, you may call me Severus." Hermione blushed spectacularly and nodded before she felt the pressure against her shields. "This will not work if I must break into your mind, Hermione." The brunette gasped very lightly at the sound of her name on his lips, and he slid into her mind.

Hermione was surprised on the warmth that came from the connection of their minds. The magic flowed against the barriers keeping her private thoughts and feelings to herself, merely moving through them, over them. Hermione knew exactly what she wanted to show him first. It was the reason she began to truly become aggressive in her research. Forsaking relationships. Forgoing promotions until she could effectively have an entire department under her guidance. Severus didn't know why he thought Hermione wouldn't have her mind in perfect order. A silly thought when he considered the know-it-all.

He had also figured she would start with something important but not intrusive, but looking around the dank and untamed darkness, he recognized his childhood home. She would want it in order, for the whole story. His childhood was not good, and that is exactly where she started in her assessment of his character, and how he became the man he is.

Hermione was standing next to him, watching her young face morph from confusion and fear to anger and worry as a scream echoed from the desolate home. He knew this night. It was the first time he stood in front of his mothers cowering body, challenging his father. He held love for his mother, like any little boy does yet as he looked back, realized his mother was cold and unaffectionate. Hermione moved the scene into the front room, following the little boys vision. "Professor Snape was a small malnourished little one." Hermione's voice was jarring in the silence.

The boy pushed into his house, and Hermione gasped at the dark horror of his past. His mother, curled against a threadbare sofa, pregnant body pressed to the cushions. A dark man, standing over her, removing his belt in quick motions. His mother barely looked at him as his father pulled him into the house and tossed his body into the hall. Hermione gasped and turned to face the door jam, hiding from the terror she felt in her, knowing deep down that it was going to get worse. Severus watched her hand catch the markings on the frame, each one a little higher than the last. Little numbers marked in. Her fingers stopped on the highest one, the height of the boy getting to his feet in the hall. He was six, when this happened. Hermione took a deep breath and faced the room with determination.

"Oh god no. Please don't." Hermione's voice was trembling in fear and uncertainty. She pulled herself out of the memory, and Severus went to the next. It was the same scene, and Hermione looked much more determined, if a little changed. Her eyes caught a jaded apathy, looking at the little boy that he was. The scene was not something he would have thought her to come back to. He would have to ask why.

The little Severus had put himself between his mother and his father. Arms stretched wide and a look of self righteous determination, a scrap of a boy in front of a six foot man. Hermione seemed to inch forward, looking angrier by the second. "Don't you fucking dare!" Hermione's scream didn't startle Severus this time. The increasing desperation on the girls face was blatant. This was difficult to watch, but after that fucking belt came down the first time, and her screams echoed.

"What have I fucking told you, you disgusting freak?!" Even as his father screamed and hit his body, he watched Hermione, rather than the scene before him. He understood the fear of standing up against an evil you can't hope to fight. His father continued to scream obscenities at his son. As he watched her, the moment seemed to take its toll on her, her body jerking when his father landed another hit but her lips silent. Severus almost didn't continue watching, but felt compelled to see if she finished as well, what she stomached to understand him. The young boy was curled against his mothers legs taking deep sobbing breaths as his father finished drinking his beer. Pacing erratically, sweating and beginning to rave about how everybody hates him, he does everything for their family.

Hermione seemed to shake herself together, low mumbling and fists balled up tight but eyes focused. He nodded, proud. She would need it for this night.


	10. Chapter 10

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

* * *

 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter Ten**

Hermione was surprised on the warmth that came from the connection of their minds. The magic flowed against the barriers keeping her private thoughts and feelings to herself, merely moving through them, over them. Hermione knew exactly what she wanted to show him first. It was the reason she began to truly become aggressive in her research. Forsaking relationships. Forgoing promotions until she could effectively have an entire department under her guidance. Severus didn't know why he thought Hermione wouldn't have her mind in perfect order. A silly thought when he considered the know-it-all.

He had also figured she would start with something important but not intrusive, but looking around the dank and untamed darkness, he recognized his childhood home. She would want it in order, for the whole story. His childhood was not good, and that is exactly where she started in her assessment of his character, and how he became the man he is.

Hermione was standing next to him, watching her young face morph from confusion and fear to anger and worry as a scream echoed from the desolate home. He knew this night. It was the first time he stood in front of his mothers cowering body, challenging his father. He held love for his mother, like any little boy does yet as he looked back, realized his mother was cold and unaffectionate. Hermione moved the scene into the front room, following the little boys vision. "Professor Snape was a small malnourished little one." Hermione's voice was jarring in the silence.

The boy pushed into his house, and Hermione gasped at the dark horror of his past. His mother, curled against a threadbare sofa, pregnant body pressed to the cushions. A dark man, standing over her, removing his belt in quick motions. His mother barely looked at him as his father pulled him into the house and tossed his body into the hall. Hermione gasped and turned to face the door jam, hiding from the terror she felt in her, knowing deep down that it was going to get worse. Severus watched her hand catch the markings on the frame, each one a little higher than the last. Little numbers marked in. Her fingers stopped on the highest one, the height of the boy getting to his feet in the hall. He was six, when this happened. Hermione took a deep breath and faced the room with determination.

"Oh god no. Please don't." Hermione's voice was trembling in fear and uncertainty. She pulled herself out of the memory, and Severus went to the next. It was the same scene, and Hermione looked much more determined, if a little changed. Her eyes caught a jaded apathy, looking at the little boy that he was. The scene was not something he would have thought her to come back to. He would have to ask why.

The little Severus had put himself between his mother and his father. Arms stretched wide and a look of self righteous determination, a scrap of a boy in front of a six foot man. Hermione seemed to inch forward, looking angrier by the second. "Don't you fucking dare!" Hermione's scream didn't startle Severus this time. The increasing desperation on the girls face was blatant. This was difficult to watch, but after that fucking belt came down the first time, and her screams echoed.

"What have I fucking told you, you disgusting freak?!" Even as his father screamed and hit his body, he watched Hermione, rather than the scene before him. He understood the fear of standing up against an evil you can't hope to fight. His father continued to scream obscenities at his son. As he watched her, the moment seemed to take its toll on her, her body jerking when his father landed another hit but her lips silent. Severus almost didn't continue watching, but felt compelled to see if she finished as well, what she stomached to understand him. The young boy was curled against his mothers legs taking deep sobbing breaths as his father finished drinking his beer. Pacing erratically, sweating and beginning to rave about how everybody hates him, he does everything for their family.

Hermione seemed to shake herself together, low mumbling and fists balled up tight but eyes focused. He nodded, proud. She would need it for this night.

Severus opened his eyes to see the stoic face of Hermione, her eyes trailing after his, giving nothing away. He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms with the thought of how much she likely knew about him. Never had he thought someone would find a way to view every memory he had ever stored, however briefly, in his pensive. All things considered, this bright witch of a woman would be the one to figure it out. Schooling and swottyness aside, this woman is someone he knew could understand all that she had seen. Not once, since the first memory, did he feel her produce anything even close to pity for him.

Hermione wasn't watching him, keeping her eyes on the floor, that same jaded look haunting her visage. "Hermione, I would like to thank you." Her head snapped up so fast, Severus had to use all of his will power not to laugh. "With the deep connection of our minds, I was able to truly feel how you reacted, and I wish to thank you for not..."

Hermione heard the hesitancy in Severus' gruff tone. "Pitying you?" His head jerked in a nod. "Now, from your time in my head, I assume you have questions for me."

Severus gave a appreciative head tilt, not ignoring her academic tone and demeanor. She looked at him now, as a peer, and Severus would be hard pressed to see you as little else. "Why did you return to the first memory? Why did you not just move forward?"

"I can honestly say that while it took me quite a few months to come to grips with what I was afraid I would be seeing." She paused and her shoulders slumped. "It wasn't until after I went to see Harry that I knew I needed to understand you."

"Potter?"

"Yes, he had some... Insight. I had scaled the experience of horror from one to ten, so as not to reveal any of your past. Harry's revelations put him at a five in comparison " At Severus' dubious look she sighed. "Harry was abused for much of his childhood as well. When he and I felt that his horrors were inadequate to prepare me for yours, he sent Malfoy to my office."

"Draco?"

The brunette shook her head with a faint smile. "No, Lucius." Severus drew in a tight breath, unable to fathom what could have possibly happened in the future for this woman to be smiling at memories with Lucius Malfoy. "He gave me a few of his own childhood memories and talked me through them. Again, when I had scaled the feelings associated, Lucius was at a seven. I found a note from Dumbledore that I had not expected to when I went to the Hogwarts Library and read a bunch of books that I felt I could find the right person to interview. It only said 'there was a second spy.' in a book about the taking care of Hogwarts. Then I remembered every moment I had spent with the man, and it all fell into place."

"Who did you decide on?"

"Argus Filch." Black eyes swept up to hers, confusion on his face. "He was cleaning up the hall outside the Library when I realized it. Dumbledore's spy, within the halls of Hogwarts. All of the years he spent at Hogwarts, just like Hagrid, and he showed every sign that you had. Terrorizing children, being a generally untrustworthy character, but coming through more than ever when it counted."

Severus was angry that he had never figured it out himself. Of course he was, that was the only thing that truly made sense in the scheme of things. "And I suppose he showed you much worse than anything of mine?"

"Not at all Severus. He didn't show me anything, though we spoke for hours after I confronted him that I knew. He told me what to expect when it came to the feelings. However, he refused to show me any of what he had endured as a child. He is a very good man."

"Yes, he is." Severus, for one, would not have shown her any of the horrors that wait in his memories. She had been through more than enough, to take on that much more..."Hermione, why did you skip my memories of Lily?"

Severus watched her face go from being open and academic to nothingness. Completely blank. "I would have to ask you not to ask me that, sir. I know you would not like the answer."


	11. Chapter 11

****These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.****

 ** **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx****

 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Eleven****

Hermione watched his face carefully. If he truly wished to press the issue of Harry's mother, she would tell him. She had no reason to hold back her honesty. If this man wanted to know her in any capacity, as she has known him, then this was going to be the first hurdle. Hermione played with the thought of showing him the memory of telling Harry exactly what she thought of his mother. Severus pursed his lips before giving a short nod.

"Very well, we will come back to that." He pressed his hands to his knees. "Why did you not feel pity, Hermione?"  
Hermione gathered herself together with a breath. "Well, It would perhaps be better to show you, Severus." He nodded and faced her once more. "This will be when I was in primary school, I believe I was six."

Severus looked into the brown eyes of the woman before him, steadying himself before diving in. He stood on a playground, surrounded by children. Before him was a mass of curly fluff atop a stick figure of a six year old. She was walking over to a crying girl under the slide.

"Are you okay?" Little Hermione's voice was sweet. "Do you need to go to the Nurse?" The other little girl looked up to see Hermione's outstretched hand. Blond curls bounced as the little girl shook her head. The little blond took Hermione's hand with a sniffling smile. "I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?"

"Rose."

The scene changed, and Severus was squinting with the brightness of the sun. Hermione was running after Rose with a grin, laughter trailing down the street they were running home on. Severus watched with a half-smile and let this moment of happiness wash over him. A voice broke the reverie with a loud bark. "Rose!"

Severus stiffened, much like the young blond chit that was now stock still in the middle of the sidewalk. Severus took a closer look at the girls face, not wanting to guess at why Hermione started to grab Rose's shoulders. Hermione was telling her to come over, instead of going home. The six year old's jumped as another bark echoed down the street. Rose shook off Hermione's hands and booked her little legs as fast as she could. Hermione watched her friend go, tears already forming.

The scene changed and Hermione is at the table with her parents. The table was clear and all three had serious faces, not unlike Hermione's during her time in the Order. Her father gave her an encouraging nod. "Alright Hermione, what do you need to say?"

"I think Rose's daddy hurts her." The little girl sat and waited after her plain statement, Severus scoffed.

"Rose? The new friend you made last month. Why would you think that, love?" Severus sneered at the father, they never listen. He had begged Lily not to tell a soul about his treatment.

"I saw bruises on her tummy and back a couple weeks ago. We were just playing and her shirt came up..." Little Hermione trailed off, her parents looking at eachother with grim expressions.

"Why did you wait so long to tell us, Hermione?" Her mothers tone was strict, but not unkind.

"She made me pinky promise not to tell, but I keep having bad dreams." The two adults looked at their child, casting glances at eachother.

The scene changes and Hermione seems to be shuffling her feet at school, swaying on the swing set. Her head snapped up as she hear a cry from under the slide, Rose always played there. She ran over and saw her friend curled on her side, crying and trying to pull a large sticky wad of gum from her locks. Hermione rushed over to the two girls standing over her. Instead of stopping as Severus expected,

Hermione tackled the two girls, knocking them into eachother and scratching at their clothes and hair, throwing the occasional right hook.

The scene changes and Hermione is with her friend in the bathroom trying to remove the hair from the still crying girl. As little Hermione works, She gently pulls up her shirt as her friend leans over the sink to get her hair in the water. A large purple and yellow bruise is covering a rib and Hermione pulls her shirt down again, face determined.

The scene changes and Hermione and her father are approaching a house. Severus can only assume it's Rose, and his lips thin. They will only make things worse for the girl.  
They walked up the steps and Hermione pressed the doorbell. A slip of a blond woman answered the door. She looked well enough, though Severus could see clear signs of stress. Hermione didn't pay attention to the adults talking about Rose coming over for a play date. Hermione had a feeling it wasn't going to happen. She looked past the woman into the clean house.

"Hermione, do you want to say hello to Rose while we're here?" Her father asked her, snapping her attention back to the grownups.

"Huh?" Her father chuckled, though it wasn't reaching his eyes.

"We are going to go sit inside while I talk with Rose's mum. Why don't you go find your friend, and make sure she has everything on the list we made." Hermione sped past the blond lady and began to call for Rose in the halls.

The scene changes and Hermione is standing in front of Rose in the park. The blonds face is angry, and a little lost. "You're not my friend, you told my secret."

Hermione sniffled and held herself. "You needed help Rose. That's not how daddy's as supposed to act."

"Well, now he's gone with the yard and mum's in the Hospital. You ruined my whole life."

"I'm sorry. I just could stand to see you that way."

"I got this for your birthday. I don't want to be friends anymore."

The little blond threw something at Hermione and stomped off. A little gold chain with a dark red rose. Severus blinked back into focus as the memory lane came to a dead end. Hermione was looking nostalgic. "I saw her again, two years later. We forgave and forgot. She had moved in with her grandparents and she thanked me."

"Hermione, do you feel the need to show me any more memories? I can imagine your reactions to my Death Eater days, but as it really just speaks to your character, I truly do believe you have a heart of gold."

Hermione was struck silent. He took in her wide brown eyes and the slight flush that came to her face. Then as the flush grew deeper, it traveled until it looked as if Hermione had exfoliated the whole of her upper chest, neck, and face, he rose and eyebrow with a knowing smirk. Still in need of compliments, Miss Granger?

"Thank you Severus, and not at all. If you are satisfied with that judgement, we may move forward. A clean slate, as it were." The woman dusted her hands, though nothing was there.

"Why do you dislike Harry's mother?" Hermione stilled.

Severus gave her a reassuring smirk. "Trust that nothing you could say will trump what I myself have called her."

Hermione stood and faced the door, walking toward it and pausing before she went to open it. "I think the only good thing that Lily Potter has ever done, is die." Her tone was soft, yet scathing, every ounce of viciousness collected in the last two words. She left the room in quick movements leaving a stunned, angry, and confused man.

Hermione pulled the cube again, flicking her wand with angry movements, sending it spinning in the sunlight. Lily fucking Potter. She grunted as the cube shot stunner after stunner, throwing up shields to protect its zipping form. Granted, James was a little prick, but at least he attempted to provide for Harry in consideration of their deaths.

Hermione knew her anger was unfounded. It was a small choice made by a woman who put all of her trust in her husband. Hermione ended the run, sweating and only a little less annoyed. She plopped down on the concrete steps of the back yard. How was she going to turn this around. The door opened and the woman made no signs of noticing until Alastor Moody sat next to her in the shade with a short grunt.

Hermione sat with her arms wrapped around her legs. Moody was at her side, smoking from a thin wooden pipe. Severus was sure to hate her now, Hermione was positive.

"What's wrong kitten?" Alastor's voice was a low grumble, as if her bad mood was a hinderance. "Is it something Snape said?"

"No, not at all." Hermione pressed her eyes with her fingertips, frustrated with herself and the situation she created. "I've just ruined the chances of completing the task with him on the team. I have no idea what to do about Alexandria now."

"Does he not wish to join our little band of misfits?" His voice was something that Hermione often heard in her head over the years. Constant vigilance pushing her out of sticky situations, his deep gravel roaring in her ear when the Beast of the Moor had nearly hypnotized her because of her distracted attention. Whispering soothing tones when she hid from the giant stone snake in Chile and needed to calm herself or she would make the wrong move. This man's voice, unlike Severus's, made her feel protected but in a fatherly way. After six months of peace Hermione had fixed her Mum and Dad, they had turned from her, happy to live the lives they had been placed in by her. Hermione understood and retook their memories. Alastor Moody's memories and journals had taken the spot in her heart while Minerva had comforted her as a mother.

"What happened?" Hermione looked over to the smoking man with a stern expression.

"I told him the truth. The only good that came out of that redheaded coward Lily Evans is Harry Potter and the fact that she died for him." Alastor's eyebrows shot up before his chuckling pulled a snicker out of Hermione.

"I didn't know you fancied the man, Granger." Hermione gaped at him, face flushing and shaking her head.

"What? No!" Alastor raised an eyebrow and huffed. Hermione blushed deeper, unable to tell if she was even telling the truth to herself. "I mean I respect him, but not... We are not talking about this. She was a Gryffindor, yet she turned against everything it means to be a Gryffindor. She turned her back on her friend, she-she was suppose to be brilliant- she didn't even bother to..." Hermione trailed off as Severus stepped out of the house, looking down at her with inky eyes. "She was warned of the danger, and she never bothered to write a Will. Sure, James did. Insuring his infant to a half-wit with a quick temper."

Chuckling, Moody stood with a grunt and moved past Severus with a sly grin. Severus settled next to Hermione, a sigh letting out in a huff of stress. "I understand."

"No you don't. Harry was in a horrid home because she couldn't think to write that under no uncertain circumstances was he to be put there. She knew her family would never treat him right." Severus looked at the woman who seemed very angry. "She should have had a separate plan in her own name, should James's not work."

"Are you upset on my behalf or Harry's?" Hermione clenched her teeth and had flashbacks to the rants and ravings that she had put Harry through when the Board of Governors had made the comparison between herself and the redhead. Even Minerva had to sit through a brief freak out when her offhanded comment about the two being similar sent Hermione's magic haywire. A lot of glass was repaired that week.

"Both! She keeps being put up on this perfect Gryffindor pedestal but she barely adhered to everything that makes us wonderful. I cannot tell you how many people compare us. It's like she was put there because she was bossy and brash." Severus hid a smile, his eyes dancing. Hermione glanced at him to find him looking at her with a pointed look. "Fuck you Severus Snape. So what if I'm bossy, and liked books, just like her. I have never, ever left my friends. Even at the worst of times. I have always forgiven. I sure as fuck would have made sure that my child was taken care of."

Severus looked at her considering. "No, Hermione. You are truly nothing like Lily Potter."


	12. Chapter 12

****These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.****

InsufferableKnowItAll394, you are so very welcome, and I am very pleased that you are enjoying it so much.

Guest, I am very happy with the amount of reviews I have received, and can only hope you all continue to enjoy the story.

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 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Twelve****

Severus had sped out of the room after Hermione, gripping her arm in the vice of his hand. "Hermione, you misunderstand."

She whipped around faster than his eye could catch and shot him with a look, so filled with regret and anger he let her go. "She robbed you of your life, at the first sign that you were not perfect, Severus. I would never..." She turned and left in a whirl of the scent of lilacs. Severus took a steadying breath with a hand on the dresser. How would he explain his affections of Lily Evans in a way she would understand?

He had gotten up and left after those words. 'You are nothing like Lily Evans.' For some reason that brought Hermione a deep anger, the kind that shook her body and left her feeling utterly alone. A few minutes later Severus stepped onto the porch once more and took in the sight of a desperation he was uncannily familiar with.

Hermione stood outside, crumpled in a heap of sweat. The cube in front of her was jabbed into the ground, elongated and held bits of her flesh and blood. Severus watched her prone form with a sigh. She was sure to be under the conception that he was in love with Lily Potter. Based on his memories and of course, the all important Patronus that held Lily's image. He watched her for a moment longer before he walked out into the grass with measured steps. Kneeling, he placed a healing draught at her feet before standing once more. "I loved Lily Evans, and I mourned Lily Potter. Let me know when you are ready to continue our exchange, Hermione."

"We don't have to, Severus. You have the rest of your life to live. I know you wanted a little girl to name Asheline after your sister. You have the time now."

"I will be waiting, Hermione." Severus shook his head at her assumptions and knew she had no idea that he planned to be alone for the rest of his days.

Hermione watched his boot clad legs leave through the curtain of her hair. Her leather strap had fallen out when she began to slam her fists into the stone post. The light of day had brought a different perspective to what she had said to the man who was again inside. Heartless and malicious, she was sure he thought of her. She took up the bottle and turned it in her aching hands. Perhaps she was wrong. Rose would have been smacking the back of her head and calling her a bint for saying that to him.

Severus walked inside with a sly grin at Fred. He was making lunch with Miss Brown. They looked to be very... comfortable. Remus and Tonks had taken up space at the kitchen bar, holding hands and laughing jovially. Moody came up behind him with a matching grin. "So, are you joining the team?"

"Should I not?" Severus had no idea what the man was talking about.

"Well, I expected you would want to, seeing as it could be the experience of a lifetime. Alexandria, the lost Iles, the bottom of the Ocean. By Gods, after looking at those clues, I would venture a guess that the last feather was in Atlantis."

"Truly?" Feathers? Atlantis and the Library of Alexandria?

"That's just the ones that are here. Never mind when we get to the stars." Moody clapped him on the shoulder and walked away. Unaware that Severus was now very confused and a little angry. You have the time now, indeed. After Dumbledore's manipulations, he had no intention of allowing another that kind of power over him.

He stalked into the darkened bedroom and sat in his chair with a dark expression. He did not want to believe her to be manipulating him, and understood that should she be, any hopes for a changed future were gone. His life debt to her would see to his new imprisonment.

Hermione walked into the darkened room with small steps, watching Severus lean forward and pat her spot on the bed. She sat, placing the bottle on the side table next to him. He snatched the bottle and looked at her still bleeding hands. "This is for your wounds."

"You might have need of it in the future, I can heal normally." Her voice was as small as the steps she had taken. This woman was not trying to manipulate him, he was sure, or she was the very best he had ever encountered.

"I can make more you silly woman." As he spoke and uncorked the bottle, Hermione flushed at him calling her a woman, and as he took her hands shook the thoughts from her mind.

"Severus, really you don't need to-"

"When shall I use it Hermione? Perhaps in the Alexandrian Library?"

Hermione looked ashamed and sighed. "Who told?" This could not go well, no matter how nice he seemed to be at the moment. Hermione knew it sounded as if he no longer had a choice, using the Life-debt as a chain to hold him in her power. Never would she do that. Alastor knew she had no intention because she had written him a letter. Hermione's investigation into the Auror's life was as non-invasive as possible. Just to vet him for a position in the team. Severus was raked and combed through, insuring that she could grant him a Ministry Pardon and help him receive his just rewards.

"Mad-eye." Severus looked at her bloodied hands, so dainty in his. Covered in scars, unkept, and absolutely beautiful. Inwardly he sighed, this woman was going to have him wrapped around her finger, scarred and dirty as they were.

"Really? Oh he is never going to live this down. Constant Vigilance indeed." Severus chuckled.

"I was a spy for many years, to give the man credit." Hermione shook her head. "I agree though that you should have been the one to tell me."

"I wanted to make sure you were not intending on living a new life before offering, Severus. You deserve the chance to take a wife and have Asheline. I did not want to stand in the way of that, no matter what debt you incorrectly see you having to me." Hermione was looking into his dark gaze with an earnest expression and Severus felt himself soften. She would never hold it above his head for his cooperation. No matter how desperate.

"I find the likelihood of a woman setting myself upon her most unlikely Hermione." Severus had meant setting himself upon a witches life, but judging by the deep scarlet that now traveled down her neck, that Hermione had thought of it in a different way. He smirked and watched her glance away. She tried not to focus on how warm his hands were, holding hers so gently. Never would Hermione have imagined him to be like this with her.

"That's not true Severus. You are still young in the eyes of the wizarding world."

"And yet, in consideration of my disposition and of course my past, to find a woman willing, willing to touch that part of me would be hard indeed." Hermione felt her gaze go glassy and her breath deepen. "My heart that is." She let out a slow breath, trying not to allow herself to hold her lungs still, lest he know of her reaction. "Lily was, to me, as my sister is. Dead, and now holds a place in my heart."

"To find a woman who would understand that would be hard, indeed." Severus felt a primal curling in his gut at her breathy and deep throated admission.

"Of course, such a woman would be silly, and have very little common sense." He straightened and gave a playful sneer. "Hardly the kind of woman worthy of raising Asheline." Hermione gave a giggle and let herself take comfort in his teasing nature. "So tell me about this future, where is my place among your mysterious team?"

"After I make the arrangements for the others, we will be briefing on the plan, and I will tell you everything Severus. I promise."

"I have no doubt of it." He put his potion away and met her honeyed gaze. "Shall we begin?"

Hermione gave a smile and nodded. "Do you still want to go through your memories?"

"You mean the revels and the sleepless nights? No, I would much rather know how you came to be... so unlike the girl I watched leave to save the world."

Hermione gave a brief chuckle, half grinning at his interest. "I would much rather just talk about it Severus, many of those memories are long and tedious."

"As you wish then. However, if you are to regale me with your times of adventure, I suggest we get some lunch." He stood and offered his arm. "Perhaps we may trade stories with those who will be joining us on our adventure."


	13. Chapter 13

**These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.**

 **Hey guys sorry, I took a couple days to celebrate my birthday.**

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 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

Hermione was unsurprised to find the kitchen an utter disaster. Tonks and Remus were laughing from their spot at the kitchen bar as Fred and Lavender attempted to toss pieces of waffle into each others mouths from across the room. Severus had followed behind Hermione focused on the sunlight bringing new color into her long and frayed braid, unawares to the flying projectile of fluff headed straight for his face.

Hermione caught the movement out of the corner of her eye and watched with her mouth formed into a perfect O. Fred and Lavender kept on, unawares to the bit of waffle that had just pegged Severus in the cheek. Remus and Tonks had their eyes riveted to the mans reaction. Hermione covered her mouth, snuffling her giggles as the piece of breakfast left a line of crumbs down his front. The dark haired man blinked and registered what just happened. Severus gave Hermione a withering look as she brought her hands down to reveal a bright grin. Severus found himself hard pressed to continue being upset, her smile so bright and happy.

Severus brushed his coat and gave Hermione a mischievous smirk as he pulled his wand from the confines of his trousers. Hermione's eyes danced with laughter as he flicked his wand discretely, eyes focused beyond the childish pair. The plate that was holding the leftover waffles lifted itself up and the two playing looked at the floating plate with wide eyes. The waffles levitated and shredded into a mound of fluff before exploding and rushing at the two playmates. Fred and Lavender stood in shock as they were covered in the crumbles of hard work they were attempting to toss. Remus and Tonks lost their composure and burst into uproarious laughter.

Fred sputtered and looked at Severus with wide eyes before he gave a giant toothy grin. "These were breakfast, you know? Delicious ruined breakfast."

Severus gave a mocking sigh and Hermione watched with attentive eyes as the man strode past her, unbuttoning the cuff of his black robes. He flicked his fingers, wand-less and effortless in bringing the ingredients from the cupboards. "Then I will just have to show you how it's done, then won't I?"

Hermione watched as Severus made the batter for what she quickly identified as crepes, tea, and mini quiche and moved in next to him. Taking a place in his kitchen was a risky move, as she had no idea that her knowledge of him would make working together any smoother. The group watched as the moved around eachother, both communicating with slight movements, and gliding around eachother. They seemed completely rehearsed in their avoidance and cooperation of eachother at close quarters. When Remus brought this up, Hermione's only response was an ambiguous statement of learning about someone more than once.

Tea and the food were presented to the audience of their skills. Easy conversations and peaceful comradery took the group by surprise, but none took issue with this new found feeling. Hermione shared a secret smile with the man next to her. He was changing, his mannerisms and everything as the man she had come to know from his memories. This man gave her narrow unthreatening looks that made her heart beat pick up. This man smirked into his tea mug with a flourish that never failed to make Hermione giggle.

"Now Master Granger," The people surrounding the kitchen table turned to look at Severus, glancing at Hermione. "I have it on good authority that you have been up to some mischief these next ten years. Care to share?"

Hermione playfully glared at Severus as he gave her an unashamed smile. Hermione listened as Fred and her two cohorts jeered and encouraged the story, keeping her eyes locked on the obsidian heat of Severus's. "Well, I don't think I have been up to any mischief," Hermione looked at Doft and McNeign, "unless someone here has been having trouble keeping their mouths shut." They both looked to their master with wide innocent eyes.

"Oh I doubt that, Hermione." Her eyes came back to the man who spoke. "I know you far too well to believe you haven't broken a few rules."

Hermione huffed and gave a wry smile. "Fine then, where shall I start..." Severus watched her honeyed eyes as she pursed her lips in thought. "Well, after the war was over, as it is now..."

Hermione, Harry, and Ron were granted their ability to sit their Newts and all three were at least passing. Hermione received the honor of her name engraved next to the only other five students that had been able to get all O's in all subjects. Before they sat, Hermione had gone with the boys to meet the centaurs, learning the mind behind the magic in Divination. She ended up using arithmancy to complete her tests, and opened the part of her magic that gave her glimpses into the Sight. They finished with studying, past their tests, and were given the help they needed to get their adult lives started.

The only thing that Harry had planned to do now after the war was over was to remake his family home and help rebuild from the damage of the war. Harry also went on to immediately marry Ginny, and was expecting his first babe before the year was out. When asked for his fondest wish that the Ministry could provide, Harry asked for redemptions of those who served for the light or turned their ways before it was too late. Draco Malfoy gave his family fortune to rebuild Hogwarts, and left it to Harry to decide if the family's help would be public. After fighting for the Malfoy's, Harry and Draco headed a health ward in Mungo's for those left with emotional and psychological trauma due to the war. After a few years they would eventually turn their funding and volunteer work to Magical Creatures and the preservation of History.

Ronald, after breaking their engagement went on to creating a wonderful Quidditch team out of his classmates that lost loved ones in the war and named them the Nova Fortis. The Nova's donated most of their winnings after matches to the slowly rebuilding magical landmarks that were attacked by Voldemort's lackeys. When given his fondest wish, all were a bit more than surprised when Ron asked for a single Memorial Ball to be held in honor of those that had fallen each year, to never be forgotten in time. Among his team members was Dean, who Hermione quickly realized was making Ron's eyes open and forced him to be honest with himself and Hermione. Dean was perfect for Ronald and they married shortly after Ginny gave birth. They had built a school in the later years, somewhere that Hogwarts children could go for the summer to learn Quidditch and go camping in the nicer evenings.

Hermione was asked of course and she responded, in front of those many hundreds of people that she wished to record and discover new and interesting magical research, unhindered. The Minister was happy to provide, as he also offered her a spot among the Unspeakables. Hermione began to realize that much of the information on the dark objects collected throughout the war was skewed based on memory alone. Then as things began to settle, the next hurdle came with murmurs of Death Eaters tricking the kind teens and that many still an accounted for were still alive. The Ministry began to look over the testimonies of those accused that were automatically put in Prison. After fixing the Bias damage, they turned to the accused no longer alive. Hermione, unwilling to allow those she knew, like Professor Snape, to continue being persecuted after their sacrifice.

After a few months of trying to find ways to clear those who deserved it, Hermione realized that there was a better way to gather the information. She was immediately approached by Master Grintollise, a well known and respected Arithmancy specialist. Hermione gained her own Mastery within a year along with multiple awards and inventions through her work as an Unspeakable. She threw herself into her work, creating experimental charms and crude potions to work on the pensives. Those that have fallen and can't defend with their own memories. On the other hand, Hermione confessed to her Master that she was also hoping most of those people would reveal their personal inventions that they never released to the world.


	14. Chapter 14

****These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.****

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 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Fourteen****

Severus listened to the woman's voice, animatedly talking about the future. He was sure there was much she was leaving out, mostly because she was making it sound as if she pent the next ten years behind a desk covered in equations and making a charm that forces the object to be truthful. Her biggest invention, Hermione explained, was the Truth Quill that is charmed to be unable to misrepresent or lie. All Ministry employees were given a box for use in the office. Severus was unsurprised when her old classmates ate up the knowledge and asked no questions. The group was giggling over a story about Georges attempt to convince Hermione to try out one of the new line of gag-ware and Severus had to smirk.

Severus glanced outside, the weather was taking a turn, dark clouds and slight wind was gathering. The dust covered house shook gently with a rumble from the sky. Severus came back to the conversation at Fred's voice. "So Hermione, D tells me that you have a few grand adventures to share." Doft looked only a little ashamed when Hermione glared at him.

"Well, I suppose I went on a few adventures. Have any of you seen a griffin?" Hermione seemed to take on a professors tone, and he noticed Doft and McNeign paying acute attention. Severus inclined his head, recalling the fast creature that had cornered him in a thicket of trees while gathering Nettle seeds. "It was a beautiful clear day, peaceful really. I had been walking through a wood just south of Untree Forest and was greeted by some flickering in the corner of my eye..."

Hermione was ducking in and out of spells, bringing snow from the plethora around her to form into a barrier as she ran. Her side was bleeding and throbbing with every pull of her muscles. The wizards behind her were not death eaters really, they were hit wizards hired by death eaters. Hermione was aware that the price on her head in the underground wizarding world was getting rather high. Last she had been informed it was roughly above 260,000,000 gold. They had yet to find who was offering the reward.

A green hex scraped her arm as she turned a sharp left into a pack of dense and tall trees. The hit wizards had followed her, Hermione was sure. She could hear them in the forest with her, but they seemed almost muffled. The farther Hermione walked into the trees, the darker it seemed to get. Odd, considering that there were no leaves on the tall naked trees surrounding her. As she looked up a single movement caught her eye. She would have never seen it, had it not turned its beak to look at her with narrow hostile eyes. It stood well above her head on a branch, wings glinting in gray and brown tones, the back was sleek and white fur of a predator cat. All claws and talons were sharp, and Hermione was backing away respectfully.

Voices seemed to get closer as Hermione kept her eyes on the creature before her. Its body seemed to flicker in and out of existence as it shifted on the branch. The noise and sight of the bark crunching and falling away was the only confirmation Hermione had that this was a real thing. The voices got much closer and Hermione quickly looked around her, just in time to see one wizard fast approaching. She ran towards the griffin, keeping her eyes on the wizard as another came into view. They had their eyes on her, and Hermione had her senses on the creature above her in the tree. She kept her shield up and watched without hope as several of the men who had followed her came within sight. The pain in her side was getting intense and she knew her spell was failing. Just as she clenched her eyes shut, the shouts of spells and evil chuckles of the men came to an eerie quiet. A single feather was at Hermione's side, along with a shiny chain.

"... and when I opened my eyes, I was alone. The creature simply vanished. So I continued my walk and had a wonderful day." Hermione finished. Severus was calling her out in his head. There was no way she simply took a walk, saw one, and then left. He, himself was grievously wounded and had been using a hallucinogenic blood clotting herb to close his wounds. He had seen a lot that night, and was found passed out and healed under a tree near the black lake. He narrowed his eyes at the beautiful liar across the table from him. Perhaps there was a reason for her boring tales.

Hermione spent the rest of the afternoon deftly avoiding extrapolating her adventures and in turn found herself avoiding Severus's sly prompts. As the rain kept on, it became obvious to Hermione that the dark haired mans curiosity would need to be satisfied. Every time she glanced up in his direction, his black eyes brought a deep swell in her body, her senses tingling with the trail of fire across the plains of her skin. His silence was keenly felt, every moment she manipulated the conversation. Distracting the group with discussions of their own futures.

Hermione was distracted, to say the least. Especially when Severus began to lean over and whisper sarcastic and bordering on rude comments about the other's stories. Fred telling tall tales, impressing and making Lavender laugh. His breath was tickling her neck, casting goosebumps across her skin. His warmth so close to her body was giving that same skin a healthy flush.

Unsurprisingly she had it all organized for those who were not continuing the journey at her side. Safehouses and money provided with new lives, ready to be started. It was up to those going back to normality if they wished to start anew or if they would live near the loved ones they vowed to never reveal themselves to. Remus and Tonks wished to start anew, somewhere pure. Hermione had presented them with a cottage in the mountains of Athonia the Wizarding district of Appalachia. They were very excited and grateful. Hermione gave him the address and watched as his wife pulled him aside with the a statement that had even Severus smirking. "It's the perfect place to raise your son, Remus."

Hermione watched with an enthusiastic smile as Remus stood in shock to his wife's offhand comment. As if he had any idea. Then came the laughter and picking Tonks up with a whirl. He then began to hug and kiss all who were in reach. Lavender giggled happily, exchanging a kiss with Remus and Tonks, telling her belly to be a handful when he made the jail break. Fred was already poking fun at Remus's age and giving him that proud smile only Weasely's were capable of. Remus had hugged the man and picked Hermione up from her chair, muttering excitedly about it being a boy. Hermione laughed and gripped Tonks hand from her place in the woman's husbands arms. Remus set her down and sighed happily before turning to the man in all black. "Congratulations, both of you."

Remus heard Severus's words and gave Hermione a smirk worthy of Harry before moving quick as lightning towards Severus. Only to be met with a wand tip. Hermione giggled and put a hand on his outstretched arm. "Severus, he's having a little boy." Her voice was kind on the outside, but Severus heard her meaning. Be nice, humor them. He gave a light groan and as he lowered his wand, cringed in on himself as Remus wrapped his arms around him. He patted the werewolf's back with a few exaggeratedly uncomfortable taps. "Yes, well. Well done, I suppose."

Tonks met Hermione's eyes with a glint before joining the hug and the group laughed as Severus extracted himself and acted grossed out. Hermione just gave him a blinding smile as he sat down next to her with a stiff huff and Severus found himself smiling back, just barely. Fred and Lavender took the residence in Hogsmeade, and Hermione was glad to see them both find balance within eachother. Fred adored her attention streak, she loved his ability to find new ways to make her laugh and swoon. The had been here no more than two days and already it had felt like a week.

The evening was spent in friendly silence, Fred and Lavender promising to write to Remus and Tonks. The portkeys were set, the couples ready to leave as thunder shook the house much less gently than the early afternoon. Hermione gave them the date of her return and bid them farewell with the remaining members of their ragtag group.


	15. Chapter 15

****These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.****

 ** **HEY THIS IS WHERE SHITS GONNA GET COMPLICATED.****

T ** **hank you for all of your wonderful feedback. I am very happy that so many are enjoying my brain baby.****

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 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Fifteen****

Hermione was glad of the quiet home. Severus and Hermione were the only two in the house as Moody, Doft, and McNeign were out on assignment. They were working on the final phase for what Hermione was beginning to feel was fate. Severus was in his room most likely reading, and the boys weren't due back for another hour or so even though the rain had let up after a few ground rumbling hours. Hermione was in her room as well, but definitely not in any state of relaxation. Pacing and organizing her bag while she muttered to herself in angry and strict tones. Long hair flowed in wild tangles as she secured the cap to her jar of aniseed. "It doesn't matter if you like him Hermione. It doesn't matter if he is the first person in six years that made you feel this way. If he is on the team, he is off limits."

Hermione crouched at her bedside, littered with her belongings. Groaning she pressed her forehead to the sheets, whiskey eyes stared out blankly listening to her own breathing. He made her warm with his gaze, happy with his smirk, and calm with his silence. Hermione was in a state of confusion and was becoming annoyed with her own inability to keep her mind off of the tall handsome man in the room underneath her. How was she to give him orders when his chuckle distracted her so thoroughly. Tears of frustration pricked her eyes. This was stupid, he was just a man. Just an incredibly intelligent, prideful, selfless, git of a man. Hermione let out another groan. He was perfect.

He seemed interested at least. Hermione figured it was just his curiosity though, because she had kept so much to herself. He must at least like her body well enough, she saw his interest when she had removed her shirt. His eyes had flitted across her torso before he helped with her wounds. He might have just been looking at her scars though, and Hermione was talking herself in circles. He was so hard to figure out, and Hermione was finding herself constantly hypothesizing on his thoughts. She stood with a grunt, wiping her eyes with angry movements. She was not some heart sick teen, and even when he playfully(she hopes) calls her Miss Granger and makes her heart jump, she was not going to pretend to be anything than the adult she was. "Get over yourself Hermione."

"Would you like some tea?" Startled, Hermione swung around to face Severus, who stood at her door with a confused look on his face. Hermione resisted the urge to fiddle with her sure to be red eyes and frizzy hair. When out of the braid, it just fluffed in on itself and became a wild mess of curls and frizz. Severus seemed to be thinking that her lack of response was a declination of his offer and took a step back. Hermione opened her mouth to agree and he blinked at her croak. Her voice seemed to be reluctant now that she wasn't berating herself. She cleared her throat and gave him a shy smile that he returned.

"I would love some, thank you Severus."

Severus watched her from his spot in the doorway with interest. She was crying, he was sure, but she seemed to be more frustrated than sad. It was the smile that got his heart racing though. That smile he had seen on her face every time Weasley had helped her with her bookbag, or when that puffed up lad took her to the Yule Ball. Hope blossomed in his chest, and Severus decided then and there that Hermione would know love. His love. She was everything good, and bright, and smart, and Severus knew he would have no hope of ignoring his growing adoration of her. He offered his arm and Hermione's warm hand pressed into the fabric of his coat. As the made their way down the stairs, Hermione was going through everything she could say in her head, but nothing seemed to be quite right. Severus had no such issues.

"So tell me the story of the Griffin once again, but this time without all of those silly lies." Hermione took the mans tone in, playful and easy. This man would be easy to speak to, to give all of her secrets away. No wonder he made such an excellent spy for so many years.

"Well, I don't know what you could possibly mean." Hermione said lightly, hoping he would tell her a bit about how he could tell she was lying. Severus stopped just before the final step and turned his broad chest to her. Briefly distracting Hermione, she was overcome with the realization of the size difference between the two. He could easily wrap his arms around her shoulders and she would be completely encompassed in him. Severus was staring down at her with a smug and heated expression. Hermione felt herself blush and realized he had been speaking to her. "I'm sorry Severus I got distracted, what did you say?"

Severus gave her a smirk ad took a step forward, keeping eye contact. "I noticed. Anything you would care to share, on what had you so...distracted." Hermione was trying not to breathe after he got closer. His scent was enveloping all of her, making it hard to think about anything but the warm curling in her body. His eyes weren't very playful anymore, and Hermione felt herself take a step back, nearly pressing to the wall.

"Uh," He tilted his head at her, her voice had given out into a something resembling a moan. "Tea, we were getting tea."

She sped past him with a waft of apples from her loose hair. Severus took a moment, looking at the grey walls and willing his swelling erection down. The woman that had fled from him had looked at him...looked at his body like... dear Merlin it was going to be hard keeping his hands off of her. He dragged his hands across his face, as if to wipe away his lack of control. Walking into the kitchen Severus debated just taking the brunette by the waste and lifting her up onto the counter while they kissed. As it was, he just stepped in beside her, gathering cups and pulling the tea out. He could hear her breathing, seemed fast and a bit uneven when he had to step around her to reach the cups. Eventually the teakettle sang and they sat down at the low table near the window in silence.

Severus pursed his lips. "I was trapped by three beholders and a transvestite in a green leotard in my-" Hermione's laughter cut him off. She had to set her cup down so as not to spill. Severus gave her a half grin at the tension breaker.

"Severus that is ludicrous. You did not go up against three beholders." Hermione's face was red from laughter and relief. Severus gave her a blank stare and Hermione let out another peal of laughter.

"That's where you draw the line? At beholders and not the that cornered me in the muggle train."

"Because you are an attractive man and the sexual proclivities of others are not an issue I think comes into this, Severus. Three beholders however..." Severus gave a dry chuckle.

"So I'm handsome enough for another man, but not for beholders, I see now." Hermione giggled, knowing that he was speaking of the old saying.

"Eye of the beholder and all of that aside, have you really gone against a beholder? It wasn't in your memories."

Severus chuckled darkly and smirked at the woman across from him. "Yes, and while it was rather grotesque, the famed fear of them is highly overrated. What is the one creature you have come into contact with, that brings out your fear?"

Hermione was surprised by the rather relaxed questioning coming from her former professor. He actually wanted to know, curiosity be damned, Hermione hadn't had someone ask something even close to personal in a very long while. "I'd have to go with an aboleth."

Severus jerked in shock, those were fearsome creatures indeed. "What? That is incredibly dangerous you stupid little girl, where did you encounter an aboleth?"

Hermione smirked at this man who had seen so much, but apparently the large and dangerous water creature was too much. She ignored his insult, knowing it was most likely due to the fact that the creature was myth among nightmares. "I would be happy to tell you, however I have the feeling you might not enjoy the story" Severus stared at her, eyes narrowed. "Or I can let you judge for yourself. Alright, I suppose it started with the first time I had found out about the bounty on my head."

"Bounty?"

"Yes, after the war ended the cowards that escaped justice put out bounties out on Harry, Ron, Neville, and myself." Severus rolled his eyes at her statement, of course they did. "This was shortly after I began my research into the war, and I had just bought Alastor's home. Shortly later I would be starting my research after I was given the Order of Merlin First Class. I had just viewed your childhood memories for the first time7 when I was trying to understand you, instead of the second hand accounts of those who didn't really know much about you at all. I really couldn't understand how I should feel when I first realized how you were treated at home. After I spoke with Harry and Lucius, I was abducted." Hermione paused, taking a drink of tea to refresh her throat.

"Hit wizards I'm assuming?" Severus's voice was intrigued. Hermione was giving him all of the information she was sure to leave out if anyone else was there with them.

"You'd assume correctly. I knew I couldn't stomach your memories unless I could gain some understanding first, that's when I went to Australia to find the tome on restorative magics. I was attempting to not only view what was left in pensives but find a way to see all that had been stored in them. I figured I should start with restorative magical properties with the possibility of finding the leftover magical residue in the basins. I landed in Australia fine, and was on my way to retrieving the tome off of an island in the Indian Sea. I didn't realize that I had been followed until I was trapped within the shrine that held the tome..."

Hermione ducked and groaned as another piece of the cave crumbled above her, sending large jagged rocks into the fast rushing river next to her shallow ledge. She was inching across what had been a very thick and seemingly stable walkway before she had picked up the heavy tome. She had seen the tome on a tall rock in the center of an obviously magical clearing. Sunbeams, moss, the whole shebang. Hermione inched closer, keeping her eyes open and aware. Her foot shifted against the massy stone with a deep rumble from the ground beneath her, the first boobytrap was triggered by her left foot. Hermione cursed and sprinted past the magical missiles that sped toward where she had been. She quickly realized she could not make it threw this maze of danger with the heavy footfalls she produced as another barrage of missiles were triggered. Hermione tried to think quickly. "Sub-... uh... Sub Lucem!"

She felt her spell take hold, her feet moving as if there was no weight to her. Hermione took a step and realized her spell made her have no disturbance to even the moss she was stepping on. Moving confidently forward Hermione reached the tall rock, realizing that when she was closer, it was much shorter than it appeared at first. The sound of triggered traps had her shipping around, seeing the Hit Wizards for the first time. They had said something, but as soon as the first spoke, he was taken out by a dark purple spell that ate at his skin. The others began to catch sight of her, and Hermione snatched up the brown worn book from its place on the stone. She had ran past the Hit Wizards while they tripped every trap they could. However, as soon as Hermione had picked up the bounty, the walls and stone above her had began to crumble. The beautiful clear pathway to the cavern had crumbed into a fast river, and now she had to navigate the falling rocks, the rushing river and the few lasting men after her, sending spells at her.

Hermione watched with dread as the sparse ledge she had been tiptoeing on began to give out, the rocks crumbling away in front of her. Six meters until she would be out of the cave, problem way that now the only thing standing between Hermione and freedom was this vast rushing river. This was a decision she had to make quick. She had not shrunk the tome in fear of harming its delicate nature, and now had no choice as she chose to take her chances with the fast water. She casted a quick reducio and a bubblehead charm just as the ledge under her feet crumbled. The water was cold. Very fucking cold. Hermione had immediately been dragged under the surface of the rapid white waters.

"The next thing I remember I was in some deep murky water. About a quidditch pitch away there was an aboleth. I thought it was some kind of dragon until I saw the mucus the surrounded it. Fish were just floating away from it, drifting as soon as they got near. It was fast too. Just swooping down and opening its mouth to let in its harvest."

Severus was staring at her, not speaking until Hermione darted her eyes away and prompted him to speak in her stead. "How the blazes did you get away? Are they not telepathic, as the legends say?"

Hermione whipped her eyes back to his with a blush at his questioning. "Uh, yes-no, I do not believe it is as theorized, however. I ended up getting caught in a current that helped me through." It went unsaid that she must have used wandless magic to keep her oxygen available.

"Did the tome help at all? With your research, that is." Severus asked, pressing the tea cup into his palm. This woman was absolutely enthralling. Her long hair, flowing and catching the lights of the kitchen. She was so strong. So good.

"It didn't actually. Completely useless unless you were looking for a shitter version of Priori Incantatum."

"So the trip was a waste. Pity. What did you mean when you said they weren't telepathic like we believed?" Severus tried not to show too much enthusiasm for the creature that until twenty minutes ago was a myth.

"Yes, well it was interesting actually." Severus watched as she got up from the table, motioning him to follow her back upstairs. They walked into the bedroom, and Severus watched her as she spoke."I was so far from him, and while I was staring, I had this errant thought about wishing I had a sample of his mucus, meshed in my awe of this great big monster. I saw something, I thought, but as soon as I did he swam away. So fast, Severus he was so fast. When I surfaced something was jabbing me in my thigh, and when I pulled this out."

Severus stepped forward to take the small objects from her. The first he noticed was the vial of substance that sloshed slowly in the glass. It didn't feel like glass actually. "What is this vial made of?"

Hermione shrugged and stopped him when he went to open the stopper. "I am not sure, but I know for a fact that what ever is in that vial is what surrounded the aboleth and was killing fish." Severus looked to the substance with fascination and Hermione smirked. He was sure to be trying to find out the safest way to use it in potions. Then he turned his attention to the small object that she had handed him with the mucus. It was a hard shell. Brilliant ocean blue with flecks of silver and red spotting the outside rim. Not a shell at all.

"Is this a scale?" Severus asked, his voice nothing more than a croak.

"I was guessing that as well. It is the color I saw anyways, but I was quite a distance away. Would you like to see the memory? That way you may tell me if you agree." Severus was staring at Hermione, and she wasn't sure how to take it. He seemed interested, but also he did not seem to be attempting to talk about either treasures she had came home with. "Most of my adventures were very fruitful with collecting rare and in this case, legendary potions ingredients. I was hoping you might want to use them, for whatever reason."

No response. Hermione looked him over in concern, thinking she might have broke him. Hermione took the objects from Severus and put away the objects and chest that she kept them in. Turning back, she met a changed Severus. There was definite heat smoldering in his black eyes, his body seemed tight and very still. Hermione felt that low curl in her belly but she couldn't tell if it was from the fact she couldn't tell if he was angry or trying to control his passion. The second one seemed too out of character for the taciturn man and Hermione felt herself flush at what she was seeing. His jaw was set, eyes narrowed and hot. His hands that had been clutching the ingredients were now at his sides, balled into tight fists.

Severus felt his blood heat at this creature before him. She was as awe inspiring as the Aboleth she was offering to show him. Realizing that not only was he staring at her like a dolt, but she was sure to see the raging erection she had inspired if he continued his mute behavior. "I would love to see it, thank you."


	16. Chapter 16

**These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.**

T **hank you for all of your wonderful feedback. I am very happy that so many are enjoying my brain baby.**

 **Sorry they're comin' slower, got a new job.**

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 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

Hermione stared at the man across from her. He was staring at his hands with his face completely blank. He wasn't in shock, or so she assumed. Ever since finishing the memories he had been this silent pensive man that snapped when she pressed him. Hermione sipped her tea idly and mentally shrugged. From what she knew of the man, which was quite a lot in retrospect, this behavior meant something along the lines of deep hatred or better yet, an unsolved puzzle he was attempting to solve so that he may promptly forget. Hermione wasn't entirely sure on either aspect honestly, he could have a headache for all she knew. She wasn't even sure that he was angry at the moment, but the deep emotions hidden in his still frame, those long and defined muscles under that black shirt... She lost track of what she was thinking. At first Hermione did think that he was in shock, but when she went to offer him a calming draught, well the reaction from the dark man was a viscous glare. Now, he sits at the table with her, and Hermione had no idea how to take his reaction at all.

Meanwhile Severus was attempting to convince his body that despite the fight his cock was putting up, he did not need to reassure himself that Hermione was safe. She had seen some amazing things and was only ten years his junior now. Internally he groaned, she had lived her life, learned far more than he could have imagined and now she was sitting there, being perfect. Merlin save him. Her strength, intelligence, wit, kindness, and more to the core of it all... She understands him like none before her. Determined not to look at the beautiful woman studying him, Severus traced the scars on his hands with his black gaze. He could feel her eyes on him, which was not helping his... lower situation. Every second that went by, words hanging unspoken in his irrational irritability. Finally, Hermione seemed to be done with his mood, and tried to force the issue of conversation.

"Did I do something wrong, Severus?" She asked with a lighthearted sarcasm that actually made her that much more sexy. Severus dropped his head into his hands and grunted. "Perhaps you need to sleep, Severus? It has been a very busy couple of days." Hermione was sure to lay the humoring tone on thick, and should he look up at her, he would see her Cheshire grin.

Severus stood from his seat at her mocking words, after casting a silent spell to slightly enlarge his trousers. She was playing of course. She gave him a grin that sent what little blood he still had in his head to his nether regions. He was indeed going to his room, just it was to take himself firmly in his fist until he came from imagining her tight cunt wrapped around him. Hermione chuckled and was going to let him leave with that last bit of ribbing, but a thought popped into her head and out of her mouth before she could think better of it.

"Am I really so bad, Severus? Perhaps make you uncomfortable in some way?

Severus barely made it past her comment before he stopped and turned to face her. "You did no such thing. It was... You are..."

Hermione watched as Severus did his impression of floundering. To others it would be blushing, stuttering, and jittery movements. With this man, her eyes raked over him, it was keeping everything exactly still and masked. Hermione was interested in the fact that his once tight fitted slacks were now slightly baggy. Not one to miss details, she let the reasonings for his wardrobe change sink in. Severus watched her eyes take him in, and knew he was well and truly fucked when the light of knowledge flickered in her eyes. There was no way he was getting out of this room with his dignity intact unless he left before she could ridicule him. That in mind, he turned and left before more damage could be done. Not in cowardice, but in self preservation.

Hermione gave herself a moment to bask in the knowledge that Severus Snape wanted her. The Professor that she would drool over after classes in secret, imagining his billowing robes and dark voice. Severus Fucking Snape was hard. For her. She didn't know whether she should giggle or jump him. She bit her lip and resisted the urge to follow him down the hall. Her hands were trembling and her center felt that curl of heat that Hermione was quickly associating with the too fucking sexy ex-professor. Hermione leaned back on the chair with a deep lunged sigh. What was the best way to catch this man? Ask him flat out? Much too Gryffindor. Hermione waited until the sound of him firmly shutting his door rang throughout the house before going up to her room. Her face was flush as she considered the ways she might possibly entice her ex-professor into her bed. Tease him into giving in? Oh that thought alone was enough to have Hermione slick and swollen beneath her knickers.

Severus sat on his borrowed bed with a heavy and slightly pained sigh. It was taking all of his willpower not to stalk his way up to her room and make her see who he saw when he looked at her. In front of a mirror preferably. Multiple times. Well that not so little issue was definitely not going away now. Severus closed his eyes and got a flash of Hermione's tight body clothed in a second skin of black cloth. Dear Merlin there was no end to her torment of him. The once bothersome yet brilliant student has turned into a succubus of intelligence and unrepentant sex appeal. Her authoritative tones hit Severus in the gut with arousal. Her dedication to being beneficial to all that she sees as good in the world lit a fire low in Severus's chest. One he had not felt for a very long time. Her incredible innate sense understanding those who others would condemn as evil... Severus opened his eyes to glare at his crotch. The decision was made, he supposed. He wanted Hermione Granger. Now how to manage it?

A low moan came from the ceiling above him, and he heard the groan of furniture through the thin walls of the house. There was no way. Severus was sure he was not the only one effected in the hall. He could practically smell the heat radiating from her. Another groan of the bed upstairs shot heat into his cock with the image of her sly fingers getting her off to thoughts of him. Severus flicked his wand at the ceiling with trepidation, it would be horrible if he was wrong now. "Audoris."

Hermione's low moans seeped into his room, filling it with her panting breaths and the creak of her bed. Severus felt the flush of arousal keenly with each breath she expelled. Severus let his hand cover his length over his trousers and gave into the lovely sounds Hermione was making. He leaned back on the pillows and growled when he heard the wetness, her hand was sure to be covered in, slap hard and her moans increase. She began to really pick up in sound before he heard her give a curse and lowered her voice. He flicked his wand at his bathroom and heard her sigh of relief as his shower began. Severus was undoing his buttons when her voice curled into the room in a groan. "Oh fuck, is he taking a shower to get off?"

Severus smirked at the ceiling and tugged the cloth from his person. His manhood stood proudly as Hermione began to give no further thought to how load she was truly being, thank Merlin. Blessed woman that she is, Severus couldn't help wrapping his fist around his cock as she let go. Louder moans and even more slick sounds of her pleasure had him gritting his teeth to refrain from giving into his premature orgasm. The minx was trying to kill him, he was sure. When her husky voice called out his name with an accompanying quiet scream, Severus let go and came across his waist.

Upstairs Hermione was panting, flushed, and giving a grin to herself in satisfaction. Her fingers were wet, wrinkled, and a little tired from their excursion. Her body was still wound tight, but the edge was taken off. While Severus was showering, Hermione figured that now would be the time to begin to collect all that she had brought for him from what was his, from her past. All that she was gifting him would be included, yet separate. She knew better than to assume all that she brought would be kept by the man. Hermione first located her first gift. The black and red leather satchel with an undetectable extension charm, to hold all of his belongings on their journey.

Her hands stilled on the cold leather. Oh no. She didn't even think about what they would do... Sex and work never seemed to work out with her. She gave the floor a considering look. Perhaps with him, it would be different. He knew she could handle herself, and she knew she could trust him with anything. Yes, perhaps this would be different.


	17. Chapter 17

**These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.**

Hey thanks to lia. and ndavis77 my long time readers. Y'all keep me goin'. 3

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 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Hermione woke to the sounds of pans and low male voices coming from below her. Her hair was in a tangled mass around her shoulders and caught in the long gold chain that remained around her neck, after the trip into the past the device was gone and the chain had been left behind. Recalling yesterday gave Hermione a sense of self-confidence when she thought of her dark survivor, the thrill of what was sure to be delicious when she got around to it. She knew she was flushing again, at the mere thought of what she who... She took a breath and bit her lip. This was nothing like she felt before. They barely touched, barely spoke in innuendo and she was feeling as if they had seen all of eachother. Sighing, she lifted herself from her sheets and went into the bathroom, not bothering turning on the light. Hermione wasn't going to bother with changing or worrying about how she looked.

If they were joining her quest, they would be seeing her looking a great deal worse, and soon. Sometimes she ran out of food, sometimes they would be starving to the point of being debilitated. That's why Hermione had spent so long developing potions that were jammed with vitamins and ingredients that would slightly expand when consumed. Too many times she had been on the hunt for some form of ingredient or knowledge that led her to a horrid situation nearly every time. She made her way down the stairs, lured by the smell of cooking potatoes and eggs, studying her feet poking out of her grey pajama bottoms. She neared the opening and leaned against the door jam to study her boys chatting. Severus was again at the reigns of the kitchen, filling the house with a delectable smell. Doft and McNeign were gesturing expressively to Alastor and Severus while the two survivors gave chuckles with each swish of their arms.

"-Ssure. When we came back to the classroom, it was completely demolished! Even the tapestries were shredded, mate. These long fucking scorch marks were all over the place..." Doft trailed off as Hermione was noticed. She knew exactly what story had the two older gentlemen laughing. When she had been approached just after her approval for taking any Apprentices was given by the Mastery Association, she had received not only one, but six different proposals for sexual relations in the place of actually learning the craft. The night in question was when one of them thought it was a good idea to do so in person. She had just chosen Doft and McNeign to teach when the last applicant had come through for his appraisal. She had given him a short list of equations and a few moral and psychological dilemmas to solve. As soon as he started, she noticed something was off. He was standing very close to the board, slightly towards her, and not really giving any attention to actual work.

He was stroking off, in her fucking classroom. In her fucking home. Hermione had zeroed in on him with a snarl ready on her lips when he started muttering something along the lines of war-heroes and frigid bitches just needing a good dicking. Hermione was honest in saying she didn't really remember much after that. It was like she blinked and then she was in bed, hair brushed roughly in a wild tangle and gums bleeding from whatever brutality she had put them through with the toothbrush. The first hand account the man had sold to the media was something out of a muggle horror story, and he had reportedly broke down when he recounted the experience. After he was out of intensive care, that is.

Severus turned to the lithe woman scuffling into the kitchen. Hair all a mess, baggy night clothes draped on her body, and bright intelligent eyes glaring scornfully. Severus knew in that moment, no matter what happened, this woman would be his reason for living should he let her. This beacon of strength and sensuality mixed with an academic spit-fire was far more appealing than anything he had encountered before. Both of his previous masters were chosen out of fear. Voldemort was chosen out of fear of loneliness, while Albus was his choice out of fear of Lily's death. This woman... This incredible witch that was giving the two apprentices a proper dress down… She would be the choice that he made out of respect.

"Good morrow Hermione." Said Severus as he studied her face in the morning light. She stopped in her tirade and flashed him a blinding smile while tucking a curl behind her ear.

"Merry meet Severus." Hermione's tone was warm and a bit shy, but was quickly overridden by the two boys whining.

"I thought that was for us, Master. I feel so..." Doft trailed off, giving Hermione a broken puppy-dog eyed look while McNeign finished.

"...Betrayed."

"Yeah."

Severus raised an eyebrow at the two nearly in sync with Hermione's own raised brow. Her voice came out bored, while she lazily came around the counter to pick some toast off of Severus's plate. "And what makes you think that I would give the monopoly of such an old and honored tradition to you two? You two who cannot seem to manage a simple request for anonymity concerning my past?"

The boys glanced at eachother before they both steeled themselves. McNeign spoke first, his tone low and solemn. "Perfect love and Perfect trust, I apologize."

"Perfect love and Perfect trust, I apologize." Doft was speaking softly now, but held her gaze with Gryffindor-like bravery. Severus glanced at Hermione, trying to gage her reaction to the men in front of her. Alastor was watching from the side, brow screwed up in confusion.

"I forgive, as I let go of my burdens. As will you. Perfect love and Perfect trust." Hermione responded, voice warm and motherly. Severus had only a slight idea of what was going on, and didn't even have to ask as Alastor let out a bark of laughter.

"You became a Priestess, Granger?" He seemed to understand more than Severus had, and Hermione colored prettily under their gazes.

"I need to cement our magic before we begin traveling, so there really is no harm in you knowing. Yes, I became a Priestess while I was in Wales."

Doft, now back to the easy going kid he was, cut in with a grin. "Not just a priestess, but a High Priestess."

Alastor just nodded, as if he had known the whole time. Severus highly suspected that he was full of Hippogriff shit. They kept the rest of the morning lighthearted with fun conversations and playful arguments. They spoke of friends and family, Albus had taken the name Neffle Herintompy the Third, and was stationed outside of Northern Asia with the other survivors. The Boarding School for Socks- Students of Celtic Kin, much to Hermione's chagrin, was not only doing well but flourishing under the circumstances the occupants started under.

Severus and Hermione, though standing next to eachother, did not interact. They did not look at eachother often and if they did it was not for long. The other three needed to go out again, as they had failed their assignment yesterday, and find the last key element Hermione needed for the ritual that would begin their journey. A single piece of metal located on an old map that Hermione had found in a chest near the bottom of barrel of vinegar. She was not sure where the metal would be taking them, but she knew she needed to go in order to find the lost feathers. Hermione was containing her magical reservoirs, building them up. Should they be successful tonight, tomorrow they would begin the rest of their story. Hermione glanced at the man who was sure to haunt her dreams yet again. She was doomed to be distracted unless they took care of this tonight. Unless perhaps, and a grin snuck its way onto her face, unless it would be better to have such a distraction available to keep the stress of what may happen at a minimum.


	18. Chapter 18

These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

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 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter** **Eighteen**

Hermione put her hands on her hips with a stern look at her two boys. "I will be very disappointed if I need to explain once again how Arithmancy works. You know it gives you generalizations for undocumented happenings. This piece of metal is more important than your wish to play with your broomsticks all day. Get it done, or don't come back."

"Yes, Master." Doft responded, jabbing his elbow into his partners side. McNeign gave Hermione a grin that reminded her of Sirius and gave a low bow with a sweeping arm.

"Yes, Master Granger."

She shook her head and turned on her heel towards the staircase going up to her room. With the boys gone, she could have an uninterrupted exchange with Severus. Should they retrieve the last part of her puzzle, Severus would need his gift. Hermione took the satchel she had prepped for Severus into the front room as Alastor and Doft shuffled the whining McNeign out of the house. Severus gave her a small greeting smirk from his place on the couch. Hermione took a breath and gave him a returning smile. This was either going to be the best gift she could give him, or the worst. She had no idea if the items she would be giving him would be bringing him comfort or just give him a thousand reminders of years of servitude. She waved the boys out with a quick Merry Part and sat across from Severus.

"I have something for you, if you want it." She offered.

Severus was intrigued at her behavior, as it was the first time she had directly spoken to him today. Nothing more than a good morning from her all day, and now she wanted to give him something. His eyes narrowed on her form. Was she nervous? "Thank you Hermione." He held out a hand, taking the satchel from her grip. His eyes strayed from her to analyze the gift, and he felt his eyes widen at the quality dragon leather. "Is this dragon leather?"

She nodded with a jerk of her head and Severus felt a deep emotion push past his many barriers. When was the last time someone had given him such a gift, other than the colorful socks that Albus often attempted to give him? Hermione was shifting in her seat, watching his long deft fingers trace the runes punched into the bag. He wasn't opening it, and Hermione had the strangest feeling that he believed the bag was the only gift she was giving him. "Open it Severus, it's keyed to your magic."

He gave her a quick glance before unlatching the bone buckle with his wand and peering inside. A dark hole was all he could see, and he resisted the urge to turn the bag over onto the cushion next to him. Hermione must have seen it in his eyes because she placed her hand over his and brandished her wand. "Here, allow me. Apte Removere."

The spell took hold and Severus watched with interest as item after item shot from the bag and neatly placed itself on the low glass table in front of them. First to come out were his books. Nearly all of his personal library stacked itself in alphabetical order next to the table. Books that Severus had been sure that the Ministry would have taken, had Hermione not taken them instead. His memoirs were next, quickly followed by a stack that he knew were not part of his collection. Severus itched to look through the new tomes, as most looked to be much older than his own texts. A clink of glass and crystal bottles accompanied several jars, vials, and bowls that shot from the bag in his grip. Nearly all of them were full, and labeled in his spiky script or was etched into the glass.

Severus watched them line up on the table, ingredients and potions alike. Each one properly stored as Severus had come to expect from the first ingredients she had already given him. These were much more than he had kept personally. Most of them had been only partially full when he had left his teaching position, and many that were now presented he knew, but did not own. The mucus was sitting idle amongst the many seeds, hairs, skins, and bloods. Cauldrons, and empty containers etched with his initials followed the precession. Spoons, ladles, and measuring equipment of all kinds, all in mint condition, gathered and stilled in front of him.

Next to come was clothing, perfectly folded, and most of it new to him. All black minus a few articles of brown and grey outfits that Severus was confused about. They seemed to be styled like nothing he had seen in the Wizarding world and barely resembled anything from the Muggle one. Boots, shoes, and belts curled on top of the piles had Severus again itching to go through what Hermione had prepared for him. Nearly none of this was originally his and Severus suspected their quest was the reason for his new wardrobe.

Several blades came from the bag, along with what Severus could only assume was bedding. The bag stopped with a single clink of a plain sheep skin pouch placing itself on the table, gold most likely. Hermione was sitting on her hands, watching his face carefully. Severus didn't know what to think. She had given him a new life, filled it with light, and then pressed her generosity into his pale hands. He took a steadying inhale and released the bag onto the cushion next to him. First thing was the tomes. He levitated his previous collection back into the bag, now understanding the extension and feather weight charms she had placed on it.

Severus looked at the books she had gifted him. Many were worn to the point of no longer having inscriptions on the covers or sides. Cracking one open gave into the true meaning of the saying as it gave an old groan and creak when he pressed it open. Potions, and lore. Each book seemed to be filled with some form of magic or information that Severus had the distinct feeling were lost to the Wizarding World due to time. Keeping them out, Severus moved to the ingredients, keeping his face carefully blank as he put the old ingredients into the satchel and studied the new ones. Those he recognized he tucked away, those he did not were set next to the tomes. His equipment and tools were admired for a moment as she had given him many more than he originally had and in better condition than he left them.

The clothing was not gone through as thoroughly until he came across a long matte black leather coat, a trench coat that Severus knew he would become attached to. The boots as well, were of such fine quality while also appealing to his personal style and personality. Now the blade Severus took his time with. Each one that he took into his hand felt as if it were made for him. Swords, daggers, and knives were displayed to him. Each perfectly balanced, each perfectly sharpened. Severus studied the runes on each blade, and on each pommel. His bedding and money were covered in the runes as well. Protection, unbreakable, strength... Hermione has truly thought of everything.

Hermione was now staring at her lap, feeling much like the student she had not been for nearly eleven years. Did he like it? Did he separate them because what she provided offended him? Was he just looking at them because he wanted to know? Did she just give him everything he would need to abandon her mission? Would he? Hermione watched out of the corner of her eye as he tucked the rest of it away into the bag. He said nothing and took the bag into his room, and she got even further confused. Severus walked into the room again and untucked her left hand from her thigh, gently pulling her to stand. His face was still stoic and Hermione let him pull her towards the kitchen. She sat down at the bar, watching him move around the island and make tea. They said nothing, catching each others gaze every few moments. Severus handed her a mug and leaned on the counter towards her.

"Thank you." Severus said, his tone filled with warmth and his words silky. Hermione watched his eyes as he took her hand into his again. "Thank you."

Hermione resisted the tears she felt burning behind her eyes. "Always, Severus. Always."

The sun was low in the sky as Moody, Doft and McNeign returned from their mission. Severus had gone out for a few of those hours, and Hermione knew it was to check his home for anything she might not have grabbed. When he returned, he gave her a smug grin and patted his side, indicating that he had indeed found something that the Auror's had not detected and that she herself had missed. Hermione suspected it was potions ingredients he had secreted away, but the damn near mischievousness of his gaze made her second guess. The mission was successful and tomorrow would be the beginning of their quest.


	19. Chapter 19

**These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.**

HEY I NEED HELP YO! I can't decide if I should set up each time and dimension jump as a sequel or if I should just tack it onto here? Help a chick out, yeah?

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 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

When morning came, Hermione was exhilarated. Today began her journey. Their journey. Through time and space and all things unknown. She took a shower, collected her food, equipment was checked and triple checked. Her boys were downstairs, probably doing something very similar and Hermione felt a smile creep onto her face hearing a baritone laughter bark alongside two younger giggles. They may never come back from this, but they all knew they wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Should the earth swallow them up and the sky spit them out, they were in it for exploration, for the knowledge. Hermione was overcome with warmth at their loyalty and perfect sense of right and wrong. She looked around her childhood room one last time, memorizing the early morning sunrays that hit her bed posts and the weird discolored marks on her ceiling that had been there since she was a toddler. Nodding resolutely, she shut the door and made her way down the stairs.

Severus's door was already shut, and the lights from that side of the house were off. Nearly six o'clock now, the predawn made its way with a blue grey tint into the house. The front room was put back into its shut up state, sofas and chairs and tables covered in cloth. The kitchen light was on, and the three men were drinking form mugs and exchanging pleasantries. Severus looked up at her entrance with small welcoming smile. Just a quirk of his lips and Hermione was beaming at him, dragging his smile into a longer stretch that crinkled the corner of his eyes. Hermione felt that curl of arousal and nearly smacked herself. This was not going to work if she was going to be blushing at the mere smile of the man. Dear Merlin she was well and truly fucked if he turned that smile on with intention of seducing her.

On the table was the small chest, covered in spiderwebs and caked in grime. Hermione walked over to it with a low hum. "Was it hard to get ahold of?"

Alastor came over and shrugged. "Not very, not nearly as hard as it was to get the anchor. Didn't even know I could hold my breath for that long."

Hermione chuckled and flicked her wand at the chest, only to find her spell dissipate before hitting its mark. Her brow screwed up and Doft snickered. "Why do you think we had to go back for it Master? Damn thing will not respond to magic."

Hermione glanced over her shoulder and saw Severus's eyes snap up from her ass to her face. She whipped around as a flush overtook her face and chest. She knew she should have dealt with this lust before they got started. Of course there was no guarantee that getting their rocks off together would have solved anything, and she had a sneaking suspicion it might have actually made it worse. She took a breath and turned with a grin at the men. "This is the final piece, and we will be starting the ritual. If any one of you does not wish to leave this life behind, please leave now. You still have the choice before we are connected through magic."

Severus set down his mug and considered her offer. Of course he knew he would not be leaving, but why did she not leave instead? Why not give this adventure to another? "I have no reservations on coming on this venture, Hermione. I do however wish to know more about what it is exactly we will be doing."

Hermione placed her hands behind her on the table and hoisted her bum onto it, crossing her legs and giving her two apprentices a nod. Doft and McNeign took their masters cue and pulled out a set of keys, one each. Doft began to speak with a know-it-all tone Severus was quite used to hearing, and it was rather obvious he was excited to be able to speak on Hermione's behalf in the matter of her past.

"Well, when Master Granger returned from gaining her Mastery, she began her research into collecting and recording the history of the second war. We had already heard of Hermione Granger of course, but then the Ministry gave a press conference. When Master Granger was asked to begin her research into Unspeakable territory, they swore her into the operations of Time. Arithmancy and Time Travel have always been connected, since the memoirs of Yexinly Mallard in 1602. Mater Granger went several years without a word or being seen in any capacity. Harry Potter refused to divulge any press time, and Ronald Weasley was in Bulgaria with his husband Dean telling the press that it was none of his business what she was doing." Severus gave Hermione a blank stare as Doft spoke. She didn't look at the man, staring straight back at Severus with the same stoic expression.

"She resurfaced and took the Wizarding World by storm. Bringing inventions like a rune engraved quill saturated in Veritaserum, and health potions that would stave off starvation for months. She would not comment on the Ministry's mission for her until she found two apprentices to help her along the way. Micky and I both remember her from Hogwarts, you as well Severus. Unfortunately we both lost our families in the second war, and had to leave the school after only a year. Harry Potter had taken us on to help with his efforts in rebuilding the Wizarding War. Harry told us to apply for Master Grangers positions and when we applied, I guess we were surprised that Master Granger had chosen us. We didn't have our Newts, but according to Hermione Granger, not everything can be taught from books. She often speaks about the insufferablity of those who do not press beyond the knowledge other had already cemented."

Severus gave her a smirk and lowered his eyes to half mast, a slight change of his own words being the mantra of his brightest student, Severus's ego crowed. Hermione felt her breath become stilted and her mouth involuntarily open, lips feeling full. Alastor gave her shoulder a pat that jarred her from the gaze of Severus. She knew what she would find, had she pressed her hand between her thighs. Would there ever be a moment in the presence of this man where she was not slick and ready for attention?

"We started with an oath of silence, and before long we had memorized what she was planning. After she had found the key to time, she was given an ultimatum. Leave without the knowledge, or take on an ancient quest that spanned beyond time and space. Feathers that were lost, scattered, and protected. The ones here on Earth we have narrowed down to," Here Hermione pulled objects from her purse and set them on the counter as the boy spoke. "Atlantis- the Anchor, The Library of Alexandria-The Scroll, and Avalon-The Chalice. There was also a feather in the Black Lake of Hogwarts, that we have already retrieved."

Hermione set the feather next to the other items with a sense of pride before taking the three Deathly Hollows out as well. "There are several unknown destinations that we will be traveling to as well." With this statement Hermione pulled a bone, a hand-sized crystal, and what looked to be a broken rosery. "Lady Time did inform me that this quest would not only take me home, but into the deepest seas, and beyond the stars. The ritual will stabilize our magic and link them together. Not as in sharing magic, more like anchoring them together so while travelling, we will not only be able to find eachother, but it will be harder to become separated while in transit."

Severus listened and looked at the items on the counter with a glance before turning his eyes back to Hermione. "And what will the ritual entail?" He asked with little inflection to his tone. Hermione took out a small crystal goblet and poured a vial of clear liquid into the basin.

"Drinking from this goblet and spouting off a wand oath. Nothing much, just the oath to never leave another behind, and to connect any and all intelligence gathered between us." Severus smirked at her again and brandished his wand. Alastor and the boys quickly followed. "However when we wish to leave, I only need to tap one of the artifacts and we will be whisked away, make sure this is what you want." She gathered the artifacts all except the Scroll.

"Alexandria first, I assume." Severus drawled as he took his place next to her, dropping to his knee and looked into her honey whiskey eyes. "I will give my any and all for the sake of Hermione Jean Granger. She will have my trust, knowledge, loyalty, and magic at her disposal for as long as her mission allows-" Hermione's eyes had gathered tears, and she swallowed the lump in her throat with his last words. "and any time after. So Mote It Be."

Doft and McNeign took their oaths in sync with Alastor. Hermione watched these men, on their knees, declaring their use and loyalty to her and her mission. She followed onto the tile, her wand connecting the wicked looking thread of magic that was winding between all of their wands. "I will never leave you behind. Never take you for granted. Never allow unnecessary harm to come to you. I will share any and all information and magic I can provide. This I Vow, So Mote It Be."


	20. Chapter 20

**These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.**

 **Fuck that GoldenBassets, just for you. Keeping it together. Thank you all for your continued support.**

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 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter Twenty**

Hermione had locked the door behind them while trying to block out the smell of the dark man standing close. Ever since taking the Vow's Severus had not left Hermione's side, staying close enough to brush against her if she shifted right. They were in the back yard, a small table propped up and covered in a thin sheep skin. Hermione placed the scroll down with a deep feeling of her magic suffusing her being. Three of her four companions grinned at her from around the table as they gripped the golden rope she had passed to each one to hold onto. Severus was watching her with keen eyes that took in the new knowledge of everything she was doing. Hermione reached deep and brought the light of magic Lady Time had given her.

"Are we ready?" Hermione asked with barely concealed excitement. The Library of Alexandria. Her pulse sped up just thinking about it. Rather than spending the next ninety years attempting to uncover the lost piece of history, she had a one way ticket to the fountain of knowledge.

"Lets get this fiasco started Granger." Alastor gruffly stated at her left. He was joking of course, as he was no doubt just as excited as Hermione. The boys nodded and Severus gave her a blank look she had seen often in the classroom when she had the answer and he was waiting her patience out, waiting for her to blurt the answer and receive punishment. Goading her, that's what he did best after all. Not even Draco managed to get under Hermione's skin like this man next to her.

Hermione pulled her wand and tapped it against the scroll. There was no big flash of light, but instead, the five were completely encompassed in darkness. Hermione panicked before she heard a soft scuffling next to her. She flicked her wand and a bright white light shined into her new surroundings. At first they saw nothing, it was too dark all around and from the look of it, nothing to see anyhow. Then the boys lit their wands, bringing a greater light to shine down on the room. Tall tan walls, made of sand and clay, crumbling wooden fixtures and hieroglyphs Hermione wanted to catalogue. The room wasn't completely empty, but had a very large bookcase in the center, made of gold. Severus and Alastor took one look at this bookcase and immediately began to cast detection spells. Doft on the other hand nudged McNeign and pointed out the jewels that were embedded along the side of the bookcase.

"Isn't there supposed to be something guarding the Feather? Monster, traps, or something?" Doft asked sounding a bit bored as he came to the side of the bookcase.

"It is quite possible that this will merely provide a clue to the feathers location." Hermione mumbled back, distracted and writing in her journal furiously. "I did not bring you along for you to be useless. Catalogue and record for the Archive."

"Yes, Master." The two chorused.

"So are we here for the feather, or a clue to the feather?" Alastor asked with a grunt from her right.

"Yes." Severus answered for Hermione, giving her a veiled look while she absorbed all of the ancient knowledge. It was becoming obvious that the quest she had undertaken would be filled with knowledge and hardship, but she had chosen this one on the off chance one of them would quit before it was too late.

"Master Granger, there is a warning on this wall. Something along the lines of 'look behind and make sure to run'." McNeign's voice echoed with the shuffling of scrolls and the gentle white noise of activity.

"Noted, lets be sure to secure the area before working." Hermione responded.

"I've got one over here too, Ma'am. 'The one thing you cannot run from, and the only thing we wish for more of. It passes differently among those who search.' A riddle?" Doft was obviously confused.

"Time." Severus voiced. He understood the riddle and got a gut feeling that not everything was going to be easy in this endeavor.

Hermione let Alastor and Severus finish making sure it was safe to approach before stepping up to the lines of scrolls. She took one after another into her hands, reading and searching for any clues of the Feather. Doft and McNeign were circling and both magically transcribing any of the legible glyphs into their journals while Hermione worked. Severus took a spot next to her to go through the scrolls and Alastor set perimeter wards. The boys were snickering at some of the less legible glyphs when Doft looked over to where Hermione and Severus was working.

"Um... Master?" Doft approached the back of the Golden Bookcase, bringing his wand light to glare against the gold edging. No one answered, too absorbed, and he too a closer look at the spot. The etching of a large thin feather was covering the top of the back, all around it was covered in rune-work and jewels. "Master Hermione, how big is this feather?"

Hermione heard his question just before the bookshelf shimmered. "What just happened Doft?" There was silence from the other side of the bookshelf before a deep rumble shook the room. Doft came from around the shelf with a whitewashed complexion, holding a clear and gold flecked feather roughly half the size of himself. A loud screeching came from the spells Alastor set. "What did you do?"

"I just touched it with my wand, I was just trying to see it better, I swear." Doft was babbling as Hermione took the feather into her bag. Severus was watching the boy, silently counting down until he would be sure to faint. Hermione was gathering all of the scrolls from the bookshelf and cast tempus.

"What in the world?" Hermione gasped softly. "Five hours? There is no..." She trailed off and glanced at where Doft had read the riddle. How long had they been down here? Another rumble shakes them all nearly off their feet.

They had been here for five hours? Seems impossible. Hermione's eyebrows crunched together in agreement, she wouldn't have known had she not cast the spell. Calling to Alastor and McNeign, Severus wrapped their hands with the golden rope. Hermione was digging frantically through her bag, presumably searching for the next artifact to whisk them away. Glancing over his shoulder, Severus pressed his wide palm to her back at the sight of long thick snakes winding down the corridor past Alastor. Doft shot off a stunner and the walls gave a preemptive shudder before the last bit left his mouth. A large chunk of the roofing crumbled and shattered next to the group. Shrapnel spiked and embedded itself in long painful streaks into everything they connected with.

"Hermione, today please." Severus growled dodging the falling rocks with acute precision.

"Oh for Mordred's sake, Accio!" Hermione snatched up the anchor that she was looking for and tapped it with her wand just as part of the sandstone above them came hurling down.


	21. Chapter 21

**These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.**

 **Reviews keep me writing quickly. You keep them coming, I'll keep it coming.**

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 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter Twenty-One**

Hermione couldn't breathe. Water was pouring into her lungs through her mouth, blood rupturing from her nose automatically due to the shock, pressure, and panic. Several hands gripped her just as the darkness came from the base of her skull and launched her into unconsciousness.

Severus gripped the drenched woman to him as he gasped on the cold sand of the beach, next to the other three frantic men. Severus knew she was still alive but her boys were stark white with worry and Alastor was casting spell after spell into a dome around them. Her breathing had turned shallow as soon as he had siphoned the water from her lungs. Doft was trying to calm down as McNeign took out his journal and began to write in small controlled scratch. Severus was far more concerned with the fact that Hermione had assumed a safe arrival to each feather, and was now to be disillusioned of that idea. Appearing twenty feet underwater while already panicking was a sure-fire way to get yourself killed.

Transfiguring leaves, rocks, and driftwood into beds and chairs, Severus went into Hermione's bag knowing she would have her gear ready for use. Her blankets were spread over her shivering body, though her clothes were already dry. When he had pulled her from the water, her face was covered in light blood and her body shivering so hard that Severus had nearly stripped them both for body heat before remembering that he had magic that could take care of her.

He wanted her awake. Now. However, forcing her to wake might have serious repercussions. Severus was hoping it was the shock of the water, and not magical drain from transport. Looking to where they had landed, if he were to venture a guess, it would probably be somewhere along the Baltic were it not for the clear turquoise waters. Doft was talking quietly with McNeign, gesturing with jerking movements to the water.

"If you wish to scan the bottom of the ocean, the best charm to do it with is Clarum Visum. Down-sweep and sharp left spike wand movements." Severus said, looking into the water that had nearly drowned their brilliant leader. Doft stood and went to the waters edge before casting a warming and bubblehead charm. The night sky was daunting with its thick clouds, and Severus suspected rain was in their future. While the two younger of the group focused on the feather, or whatever was down in the ocean, Alastor and Severus began to construct a decent shelter for the fallen Hermione and themselves when the weather turned, as it was sure to do. Lanterns were lit, and dry wood harvested into a medium fire by the time the boys came back. McNeign was holding a bleeding Doft as the man clung to a cylinder.

Severus snapped into action with Alastor, taking the wounded man while Alastor prepped a cot by the fire. Severus was really getting tired of playing nursemaid. "What happened?" He snapped.

"I'm not sure sir. I was watching his and then he disappeared for a tic, and then I just saw plumes of blood and got him out. I didn't see anything that could have hurt him." McNeign reported before going to take the object from his friend. Doft shuddered as he neared and when he went for the cylinder, began to panic and tried to drag his body from the cot, to get away. Severus gently and with strength pulled him back down to his cot, murmuring platitudes to the boy. There was a large gash along the boys arm, and onto his stomach.

"I dont believe it would be wise to touch what he is holding. I suspect that is what harmed him." Severus said to McNeign, as the kid was still trying to get to his friend, only to be held by Alastor.

"Then we need to get it away from him!" McNeign was quickly loosing any cool he had had when they landed. Severus turned to him and paused before speaking.

"He... doesn't want you to get hurt." Severus said it softly, as if it were a foreign language he wasn't ready to converse in. The other mans body released its tension in Alastor's hold and Alastor turned to the item in question. Flicking his wand, the cylinder was ripped from the boys grasp and levitated away from the injured party. Severus treated the boys wounds, beginning to feel the drain on his magic. Faintly he heard Alastor announce the item cursed and that he would be working to break it just as the first large raindrops hit the makeshift roof they created. Severus sat next to the unconscious members and considered their comfort before rolling his eyes at his own stupidity. Of everything he had thought to take out of Hermione's bag, magical tents had not even occurred to him. Huffing, he moved his hand to her bag at his waist, a quick accio and enlargement spell had them all engulfed in warmth and shelter. Severus moved the sleeping people to the actual beds, each named and prepared with sheets.

Micky? Danny? Those must be the boys. Alastor was on the far side, the boys next to eachother and then it was Hermione, and his own bed. Crawling into his, Severus began to notice Hermione's arms were covered in insect bites and realized while his own were covered, hers were very much red and irritated. He pulled a salve from his hip and gently rubbed it into her skin. So focused on his task, he didn't notice the whiskey eyes looking at him. Hermione woke to the low whimpers of Doft but a glance to her left produced enough to let her know he was taken care of. She was kicking herself for not giving them a proper introduction, as she was planning on calling them by their first names when she showed them the tent, but just as well.

"Is Danny going to be okay?" Hermione whispered to the man over her. His eyes snapped up to hers as if he had known the whole time she had been awake. He put his salve away and nodded. "What did he find?" Severus cocked his eyebrow and she thought he was questioning how she came to that question. "I assume he was wounded trying to find the artifact, and he really wouldn't have come back without it." She smiled, remembering the time when he had first began to work with her and she found him nearly drained of magic. He had wanted to do well on a project, and thought the cursed book in her office would hold his answers. He had nearly died on his mission to impress her.

"The moron will be fine, and yes he did bring back something. Alastor is looking to break the curse now." Severus said, knowing her first instinct would require him putting his foot down, he pulled the blanket down over her as he spoke. As expected, Hermione immediately attempted to stand, only to have Severus's large hands holding her down. "No." His voice lilted towards the end of the short word. "You are to stay in bed. It will wait until morning." She went to protest and Severus leaned over her, meeting her eyes with each hand on either side of her head. "You will not argue with me Hermione."

Hermione felt a thrill trickle down her spine and curl in her stomach as his black eyes held her breath in her lungs. She jerked her head in a nod and he lifted with a grace she would kill for. "Will you at least discuss the item with me?" She asked.

"Yes, though I only got a glimpse of it before attending to the young Doft." Severus paused. "Danny."

Hermione gave him a small smile and settled into her cot. They spoke until Hermione was drowsy and the rain had let up for a few hours. Morning was sure to be interesting, Severus thought as he lay in his own. They still had no clue where they were.


	22. Chapter 22

**These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.**

 **Hey guys sorry about the last few months, life got crazy and I had to make a few personal adjustments.**

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 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter Twenty-Two**

Morning dawned on the freshly soaked beaches of their little getaway. The clouds were allowing just enough of the sun to peak through, the heat that accompanied prickled at Hermione's skin. The sounds of bugs and waves crashed and trilled around their campsite. Hermione was listening to the undertone of rumbled conversation between men. They were in the living area, gentle clinks of metal and glass. Severus was already looking at her when she sat up and peaked through her curtains. A slight smile played on his face as he stood and wandlessly transferred the steaming cup from the table, and moved it to sit poised at her chest.

"Bom dia Dirigente, I trust your head is better?" Severus's suave greeting threw her off as she accepted the cup and smiled at him.

"Good Morning? And yes, it is." Leaving her tone to show she was guessing at his greeting. Hermione shook her head with a curious brow and sat at the table, dismissing the contemplative look on his face and the foreign language he had used. "Do we know where we are yet?"

"Indeed we do." Severus sat in his seat and unrolled a hand sketched map across the table nearly jarring the tea pot. "We are just off the coast of Brazil: here." He pointed with his wand to a small patch of clear beach under a vast green. A small portion was mapped already, the surrounding areas scratched in with skill. The paper felt thick and nearly glossed to the touch. Hermione turned it over and blew her breath against the edge.

"What kind of map is this, Severus?" Hermione was waving her wand and examining the edging along the papers edge, attempting to decipher the map. "I can see the crane scales and trephaluant hide, but to what purpose? Did you create this?"

Severus smiled with a bit of cockiness at throwing her off and pulled his wand. "Yes, and I am sure its something you have never seen before, witch."

Hermione sat closer to the parchment keeping her attention to every detail as a spell from Severus took hold. A shimmer of golden light flushed the sheet and Hermione watched as the area Severus had pointed to became darker and more detailed. He rolled it back up with a bit of stiffness in his shoulders when Hermione pursed her lips and said nothing. Her eyes kept darting as if she was reading something while she stared at the now rolled map. Severus raised an eyebrow as she brought her eyes up to meet his, then she looked at Alastor and brought her eyes back to the map.

"Master Granger are you alright?" Micky was standing behind them, having just came in from the water. Hermione snapped out of her reverie and shot him a smile.

"Of course Micky. Have you had any luck?" Hermione turned away to stand and move to her bunk, missing the complete look of shock on his face and the slight smiles on Alastor and Severus's faces. Though the humor on Severus' face faded as Hermione's eyes kept coming back to the map he had created. Hermione was talking with her young student as they poured over his notes. Even when it seemed the almost promising discoveries from the deep ocean, fallen sculptures and cracked architecture-her eyes came back and filled with angry hurt when she looked at the map.

The evening turned and rain came down, the wind wasn't like Hermione thought it would be judging by the sound, and took a stroll around the outside of the encampment. The sound was amplified and the sounds that were present even in the morning were drowned, either by the rain or the flood streams making their way through the sand and silt. Large drops thrumming across the wide leaves of the trees making a thunderous white noise cover.

A hand came to Hermione's shoulder, startling the woman into action. Severus's shocked face was priceless as his back hit the ground in front of her with a hard wet slap. Hermione huffed and turned on her heel, stomping back to the tents as she heard the man struggle to his feet. Flicking past the draped doorway Hermione was blazing past the table and moving toward the large desk she had covered in notes and bits of rubble, throwing herself into the work. Connecting dots, analyzing coordinates and doing it as many times as necessary. They didn't have a time limit on their mission. They all agreed that while they searched, it would be beneficial to catalogue and preserve as much as possible from their research and discovery.

She heard a growl as the black clad man made his way back into the tent. She pointedly ignored him as he cast spells around himself and quietly went to the chair next to the fire, opening his journal. Hermione already suspected his notes on her were located there, little observations and a few rantings by now. She ignored him all throughout the day, not speaking to him or with his opinion acknowledged by her. Hermione was showing no signs of faltering or losing her conviction in the way she was treating him. He was confused and angry, and it was becoming obvious that she was thinking him something evil.

Hermione was staring at the locations map, collected information from all of those who had gone back into the waters. There were inconsistencies she was just noticing after a full day of reviewing the same information. There was a pattern there somewhere, as if she could see where she was underwater, Hermione knew in her gut, while she didn't use it in normal cases, Hermione was beginning to Hermione copied the underwater mapping of the sites and started again, pinning a grey spot where her wand tip touched. She followed the tendrils of rubble they had found, tracing the path between the two currents and the different environment they were found in.

The boys were asleep and Alastor was nodding off outside. Hermione knew she would have to explain herself soon, by the end of the night judging by the tension already built. Severus snapped his book shut and stood behind her. He was silent, but she could feel his presence come to a stop a few feet from her.

"I will not make the mistake of putting a hand on you, but I find that I must insist on you answering my questions." Severus kept an even tone, suppressing the surprising amount of self-righteousness that welled in him.

Hermione stilled and turned to him like a stone lock. "I have nothing to say to you. I cannot trust someone so-" Her hands flung up, jerking her body out of her stillness.

"So what?" Severus came nose to nose with her. "Those Vows meant nothing? I meant what I said, ask me what you will. I will tell you the truth, but why treat me this way, what is it you think I have done?"

She took a breath and a step back from him, her arms stretched out. "Are you The Thief Prince?" Severus blanked his face and leaned back. Hermione continued, ticking off her fingers as she went. "Tyvan? Zmeya? Il Pipistrello? Can you tell me you are not?"

Severus's body language told Hermione something with every name she spouted. A sort of cockiness set into his shoulders, and his eyes lightened. "What would you wish me to say?"

Hermione walked over to her bag and pulled a stack of files. Laying them out she spread photos and notes about The Thief Prince. Severus leaned forward, intrigued. "You studied me?"

Hermione scoffed and crossed her arms defensively. "It was my job to find you." Severus saw a crack in her armor, clear as day. "You were my first assignment. I found three more that the previous agent never connected, but-" She snatched up a piece of burnt map parchment, tossing it in front of him, over the pictures of his trophies empty slots. "I could never figure out what this was."

"Until this morning." Severus muttered, looking over her notes, he heard her sigh.

"Until this morning."

Severus leaned on the counter with a patronizing smirk. "So I am to understand you are angry because I beat you?"

Hermione was pissed off immediately, her face was enraged. "You did not beat me, you merely just..." She trailed off as he smiled at her and spread out his hands invitingly. "How was I supposed to know? You're one of the most brilliant minds in all of Brittan. When could you have had the time? There were no records or memories, it wasn't connected to you at all." Severus was smiling softly now, glancing down at her notes. He took up a quill and paper and began to write. Before going over her notes and making his own in the side margins. Hermione rushed to his side and began questioning him. "What are you doing Severus? That's a official report, dont write on it." Severus was keeping his shoulders in her way as she tried to get her papers back. "What are you doing, grading them?"

Severus chuckled and let her get one of the sheets he had finished. He heard her sudden intake of breath just before she began muttering and began making new notes after getting her own quill. He was filling out all of the missing information from all of the cases she had. She got the majority of the profile nearly dead on. He turned to her and handed her the last of her notes on him, letting her take a moment on something she had worried about all day. "I will make dinner." She made a small grunt and showed no sign of her previous anger. Severus stepped into the kitchenette and began making dinner for the those eating.

The smell of his cooking brought Hermione back into the present, and the pile of maps she had left to go after someone who had practically confessed. The work was the most exciting she had done in a while, granted. Plus she couldn't ignored the perk of having such a beautiful puzzle finally coming into focus. She had everything she would have needed to piece together it was him. He came back into the work area carrying plates and water, a small satisfied smile on his face when he noticed the closed files piled next to her. "So do you forgive me?"

Hermione took in the man before her, the criminal, the teacher, and the most upstanding man she could ever hope to meet. She took a bite out of the food and gave in internal groan. "I have to ask: Why? Where did that money go?"

Severus sighed with a smile and took a drink. "The Magical Orphanages of the places I took it from. For each greedy and blood stained owner, I provided their richness to those who have nothing."

Hermione leaned back, taking small sips of her water, her eyes on her food. She took another bite with a small hum, smiling at him from the side.


	23. Chapter 23

**These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.**

 **Hey guys sorry about the last few months, life got crazy and I had to make a few personal adjustments.**

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter Twenty-Three**

Hermione had spent the next few days pouring everything she had into finding the feather. Every time she got close, it seemed to slip between her fingers, mathematically that is. She was beginning to doze, her eyes trailing back to the boys already tucked away, warm and asleep in the bunks. This was beginning to wear on her already, so early on in. This was different though, the work and time it took was fine, this team was dragging on her heels. Alone, she would have been down there most of the day, and at night pouring over the notes. With them, she stayed up above and researched while they went down. She needed to see it for her own eyes, see the space that is confounding her numbers and all of her intelligence. She looked sourly at the quill in her hand before flicking it down with a huff. Standing she wiped her hands and conjured an umbrella as she stepped outside. She stood at the beach edge, wind whipping out at the water but just a gentle breeze at the shoreline. She watched as her boots were lapped at by the waves, throwing sand and foam over her toes. After about five minutes, lost in her thoughts of bringing too many people on her journey, she glanced down again and stared at the now covered boots.

Severus woke to Hermione tearing into the tent, she was soaked and tossing her journals of notes around. Severus stood and watched her for a second, seeing her muttering lips and the sudden sweep of the table was rather jolting to his barely awake mind. Hermione began to draw with chalk onto the table, equations and graphs, before Hermione stilled and grinned at him. Severus felt clueless standing by the counter after the loud crash. The other three had cast silence charms due to the rain and wind, though Hermione and himself found it soothing. This beautiful creature obviously just figured something out, yet as he looked down at the table, he couldn't even guess. Hermione had seemed to go back to her normal self, smiling and mouthing off at him in the last few days. Now she was babbling at him, while he tugged on his boots, the woman was walking around him, pulling out a silvery stretch of cloth and handing him one as well. It shimmered around her before wrapping around her face. Her voice muffled as she walked to the opening. She was talking about equations and gravity, and something about her shoes.

Hermione was ecstatic. It's not that she was messing the math over and over, the location was correct this whole time. Every time she had stepped outside to get out some of her frustration, every moment she had learned something new and catalogued it, she did it for a reason. They had so much information, artifacts, and magical scripts from what they had discovered in the time she couldn't locate it. So much history and advancement as a team in the short week they had been here, Danny and Micky learning with every new hurdle they came across. Danny of course was fully healed before Severus would so much as let him get his own tea, though both Micky and Hermione were letting him go so far as to dress to go under before Severus eventually caught them and herded him back to bed. Every moment, the fights, the quiet dinners, and the joking, all of it was for a reason. Hermione would never take it for granted again.

As she stepped into the rain, her head wrap looks to melt against her skin, trapping a thin layer of space just outside her skin. Severus wrapped his head before stepping into the rain as well. As it melted, he could hear her voice clearly. He wasn't new to the spell, as they had used it several times in the past few days, however it was still something to get used to. They both stepped into the water, Hermione finished the explanation and grinned at Severus as he stared at her. She dove into the water with a whoop and he was seriously considering just staying where he was. In all that the blasted woman had said, she hadn't told him a damn thing. Hermione was much further than him, stroking her way through the water and it sounded like she was humming. The storm above was breaking, the rain was barely a drizzle when they had stepped out, and now it even looked like they would have moonlight. He dove into the water and caught up to her, she was humming. Something told him that his silence was best in this case. At least until he had some clue as to what they were doing out in the water at night.

Hermione looked up into the stars and pulled her wand with a single spell. "Veita." Her wand glowed green before spiting out a stream of numbers. She gave him a smile and sunk, one second there, and the next gone. He pulled his wand and began his dissent, swallowed up by the water and the deep black of the ocean. Hermione was laughing as she sped through the water, Severus knew she must have changed the sinking spell they all used, because she was moving much faster than she should be. She landed with a cloud of sand, before taking scoops of sand and rock from the bottom of the ocean. The smooth movement had a pluming effect as she worked through thin layering. Severus watched as a sparkle from under the silt emerge, and Hermione's rather loud excitement as she brought the feather into the light of their wands. They had found the third feather.

By morning light, they could be packed and headed to the next destination. Severus found that thought bordering on unpleasant. The last few days seemed well enough. They all got along, there were moments when Severus was nearly content. Severus and Hermione made it to shore with her smiling widely and him giving the calming seas another lasting look. He saw Hermione walking around in flowy fabric, a collection of shells in her hands. Alastor propped up on a rock with his pipe. Danny and Micky trying to catch fish with their bare hands. Perhaps he could convince her to stay, just a few more days. They moved into the tent and Severus turned to prompt his first conversation with her tonight when she started clapping loudly. "Alright boys, wake up! We found the feather and we can get out of here. Time to pack this circus up."

Severus let out the breath he had taken. Perhaps not.


	24. Chapter 24

**These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.**

 **Hey I'll be making it up to you guys.**

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **Feathers in Time**

 **Chapter Twenty-Four**

Hermione stared out into the deep waters, the sounds of the last bags being packed clashed with the rising sun. She was ready to leave. She wanted to get to the next site, and this time, however long they would stay, she would not lose her faith in her team. Never again. Avalon was next and she was more than ready. She read extensively on the clues the chalice gave. The note she had left herself was 'Don't take anything they offer' written in the same style they all were. Hermione scoffed at herself when she realized that her future self didn't bother to change anything about the experiences Hermione was trying to prepare for.

Ignoring the warnings however was out of the question, if future Hermione saw fit to advise, she would take every word to heart. Avalon was rumored for centuries as the center of magical convergence, however it was obvious that something was not right, judging by the note. She made sure everyone swore that they would take nothing but information from the place they landed, and any who reside in or around it. Severus had yet to speak to her since she woke him. His voice was fine, as she could hear it now berating Danny for dropping a crate into the side of the bag, rather than into it. It must have been something she did or said yesterday, though she had no clue what it could have been. He was still smiling at her, but it was different somehow. Sad.

She set up the Chalice and waved them into a circle. No fanfare or last looks back at the ocean, she tapped the artifact and met Severus's eyes just as it connect, but his eyes were on the ocean.

The blackness evolved and twisted as they traveled, the ground hardened and the air was thick and cold. A large yawning cave stood before them, a dim glow down the dark tunnel. Behind them was a cliff, spiked rocky mountains cloaked in heavy mist. Severus and Alastor gave eachother meaningful looks and both began a tight sweep of the beginning of the cave. Hermione was already writing furiously with Danny and Micky at her side. Along the outside of the cave walls was chiseled and carved. Hermione was taking magical photo replications of every inch she could find while Danny was already cataloging with Micky on everything from the rock composite to the experiments on the magic in the area.

They would be taking core samples if they had not already made their oath to take nothing. Hermione watched as Alastor and Severus gave the all clear to enter the cave, nothing detected, but all on high alert. The trip through the rock formation was long and narrow, which is no problem when you had magic on your side. Down the narrow path ran a long drop to a river. At first Hermione was just making sure none of them would fall, and then Danny nearly made her do that exact thing when he cried out.

"Look! At the bottom Master!" He pointed down the sudden drop and while Hermione may have gotten over her fear of flying, falling in such a situation was entirely possible. She gave a huff and turned to look down, at the bottom was glittering, and Hermione could see its dim glow. She waved out her light and nodded as the rest followed. With these lights went out, it seemed the dim one coming from the bottom of the river glowed brighter. It continues its glow until the cavern was lit in glittering lights, moving with reflective water. Micky was staring at the water, solely focused. Danny came up behind him and grasped his shoulder as he started moving, leaning toward the edge. He seemed to snap out of it and nearly threw himself into the wall opposite of the river. He gasped and cast a silence charm at the water below.

"It was speaking to me." Everyone stopped and turned to him. "Told me that the jewels were mine." He was squeezing his eyes shut, still gasping slightly. "Wanted me to take as many as I could."

Severus and Alastor cast their own spells and Hermione shook her head and continued forward. The rest followed suit while Danny was comforting Micky. The path widened to a large room that smelled of fish and something acidic. Hermione stopped at the end of the path. A short end, as it fell off into the rocks below. There was a large nest tucked into the crevice of the rocks that joined together. Hermione was confused, she wasn't sure if she was to make her way over the gap or wait on something to be discovered. So as to the old way her mother had taught her, she knocked.

The sound echoed as her knuckled rapped on the side wall. "Hello, we were hoping for some direction?"

The men all stared at her as if she was mad. Severus spoke up first. "What in Merlin's name are you doing woman?"

"Merlin." A deep and gravelly voice shook the ground.

"Haven't heard that name in so long, it seems." This voice, while it shook the ground as the other did, was softer.

"Agreed, and I suppose you wish to meet our guests Ameriah?"

A chuckle echoed before a large gust of air accompanied the sound of wings catching and lifting. A low growled groan shook even the lungs in their chests. Hermione stood still while the others took up their wands almost instantly. Dragons lifted themselves from the darkness. So unlike any species she had ever seen. Large flowing ears of bright color on the large dark grey one, and streaks of jewels incased in dragon scales along the body of the smaller dull brown one. They landed in their nest, and blew heavy gusts of air at the humans who stood in shock.

"Hello." Said the smaller dragon, the light loud voice giving her away to be Ameriah. "This is my svyazannyy dusha." Severus lowered his wand.

"Your soul mate. I apologize for our hasty defense, the dragons of our land do not speak and are not known for lasting mates." Ameriah shook her head and looked at her partner.

"Hemmiaeth, welcome our guests." The large dragon shuffled and huffed out a breath, looking at Ameriah.

"I am Hemmiaeth. What do you want?" The question sounded sharp, meant to be as unwelcoming as it felt. The female hissed at him and nudged his with a large scaled shoulder.

"Hemmiaeth-"The scolding tone put a smile on Severus's face, as it was one he heard from his own spitfire he wished to woo. Hemmiaeth just rolled his eyes and puffed out his chest. "What can we do for you Malefica?"

"We are in search of the feathers in time. I was sent by Lady Time-" Hemmiaeth scoffed and chuckled.

"Lady Time? Is that what she calls herself now?" He was shoved again by his mate as she shushed him.

"Yes, Lady Time. I chose these four to join me as I track them down and return them to their rightful place." Hermione felt something loosening her tongue but as she had no intention of lying either way, she didn't mind.

"Ah yes, and do you have the chalice?" Ameriah questioned.

"No, it disappeared just as the last three have." Hermione answered.

Hemmiaeth looked at his mate for a short time before getting up and taking off out of the cave. "Hemmiaeth will take your men to the chest, and you will stay with me. We have much to speak on, I suspect."


	25. Chapter 25

****These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.****

 ** **Hey I've decided to split it up into books, and I'll keep it simple. Book One and Book two and all that. Its just easier to keep the arks in tact I suppose.****

 ** **xxxxxxxxxxxxxx****

 ** **Feathers in Time****

 ** **Chapter Twenty-Five****

The large being in front of Hermione commanded her attention, not fearing being alone with it. Even as the men left to meet Hemmiaeth at the opening on the other side, Hermione merely plopped down into the dust and rock, bringing a laugh from Ameriah. The dragon drew herself up claws visible and chest high. "Very well then, young Master Hermione Granger, Mistress of the House of Granger and Champion of Time. Let us begin our discussion."

Ameriah drew herself up, claws and chest displayed in a show of pride right before she slumped in a great cloud of dust. Hermione coughed and waved the dust from in from of her face. Hermione's back became ramrod straight as her title came from the dragons heavy lips, and then laughed as the dragon relaxed. These creatures were more than Hermione could have ever fathomed. Far more intelligent, far older, and far more interesting. The Witches of Avalon were exciting of course, and held much of the information she had hoped to learn from, but these creatures, Hermione was beginning to believe were the oldest she could have come across. These creatures seemed timeless. She felt the lead on her tongue keenly now. This all-knowing creature could ask her anything, and Hermione would be powerless. Ameriah laughed and shuffled to get comfortable.

"I do not know all, child. Merely some." Hermione just sighed and gave up with that confirmation. Reading thoughts and having a knowledge was different, this was something she was prepared for. Being around Severus meant there was always the chance she thought too loud. Hermione shrugged and leaned against the rock wall. If she was to answer anything she wasn't going to do it with fear hanging over her head. Hermione threw caution to the wind and allowed herself to relax.

"How long have you been here?" Hermione was curious. The most information she had gathered was on Avalon, and for all she knew right now, this was Avalon.

"Eons, I feel at times. We are very old child, very."

"Where are we? Does it have a name?" Hermione ran her hand against the black stone beneath her. This cave was beautiful, in its own dark, damp way. If they were not in Avalon, Hermione would need to start on a separate section of her journal to catalogue.

"Oh it has had many names, through many worlds. We call it Tsev-Nyumba." As she spoke, Ameriah watched Hermione with gold slit eyes as she took out her notes and began to write. "It means 'home', or 'hearth'."

"Ameriah, is this your language?" Hermione was writing and glancing up at Ameriah as she spoke. "The language of the Dragons?"

"Not at all. Dragonion is much different than the language of the Old."

"The Old? Referring to Hemmiaeth and yourself?" Hermione was trying to keep her tome light, as if her brain was flashing with information. Every word in the Dragons presence was worth a tome of information.

"Both of us, and many more. Our language goes beyond time, and dimensions. It is the first and the last language. It is made of every language between now and the end of everything."

Hermione sensed the Dragoness was finished talking about her language. She was eyeing Hermione in a way that had the woman blushing and tucking her book away.

"So what would you have us discuss, Ameriah?"

"Well, since it has been on your mind, let us talk about Severus." Ameriah flashed her teeth at Hermione when the witch sighed in defeat. All of her questions and that is the one errant thought Ameriah picked to talk about. Of course, Hermione also was praying that this grand and intelligent creature may be able to help her with the issue of Severus.

xx

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Severus stepped out onto the ledge where they started, long cliffs of misty rock scaling across the horizon. As they had gone back, Danny and Micky looked to the treasures at the bottom of the pit, only to find that same rushing river was littered with bones and armor, scattered even along the cliff wall leading down to the water. Hemmiaeth was cradled on a long stretch of rock next to the entrance of the cave.

"Guardians, please step forward, fly with me." Hemmiaeth spoke with pointed respect, his timber gently shook Severus's chest. Severus found himself unworried for Hermione leaving her behind. Not only was she very capable, but she had requested that they go along with everything they wanted.

"Hemmiaeth, we are all Wizards and can follow your path. Please lead on."

Severus and Danny were enjoying their flight with the Dragon, while on the right of the ancient beast, Micky was beginning to look a bit green from the twists and turns, dips ad sudden drops they went through. Alastor was following at the back, his coat flapping while his magical eye spun. The winding rock cliffs switched from season to season with each tunnel and mist they passed through. The scene seemed like it would go on forever, hypnotizing for a weary traveler, and they had left on their voyage some time ago.

"Guardians, Prepare yourselves. We are close." Hemmiaeth's voice rumbled through the darkest tunnel they had been through. Severus gripped his broom tight as they picked up speed.

Severus keeping his eyes to the front, their destination unknown to all except the ancient creature that honored them with his guidance. There had been something in the Dragons tone that struck a cord with him. Something that made Severus prepare for war.

xx

xx

Hermione glanced down the tunnel with a sigh. Tears still streaming down her cheeks and small shudders running through her chest. When would the men be back? The last thing she needed was four men seeing her weak when in the face of greatness. Ameriah chuckled and blow a gentle breeze onto Hermione's face that dried her tears.

"Fret not, they will be along when they have retrieved your next puzzle."

Hermione looked at the dragon confused. "Puzzle?" she asked, not really wanting to think on the ramifications of those men, untrained, going after something she may have information on. If they were transported, she would be too, that was the best upside to the bond. The second best, she hadn't opened yet. Telepathy. She was supposed to be able to do it with her most trusted, and considering the oath they all took, she trusted them better than she thought possible. So why didn't it work?

"Just because your head understands it, does not mean your heart must abide." Ameriah's voice brought Hermione back to the Puzzle the beast had mentioned.

"What Puzzle, Ameriah? Will they have to fight?" Hermione was terrified for a brief moment that not all of her team could make it back, and she had no idea if it was even a valid fear.

Ameriah huffed and looked to the opening where her mate left. "They will fight harder than they have ever before. Only then can your journey continue."


End file.
